Jamie Oliver's Spring Minestrone
4 servings
60 minutes
Jamie Oliver's spring minestrone is a fresh and light soup filled with the aroma of young green peas, tender asparagus, and the rich flavor of white beans. Inspired by traditional Yugoslav cuisine, this dish combines simple yet harmonious ingredients to create a sense of spring awakening. Parmesan adds a rich creamy note to the minestrone, while basil and parsley bring freshness. This soup is perfect for a light lunch or cozy dinner, especially when paired with crispy garlic bread. It embodies the joy of warm days when nature blooms and flavors become vibrant.
1
Drain the liquid from the can of white beans (or if using canned green beans - use those).
- Canned white beans: 1 g
2
Remove the thick, tough ends of the asparagus and cut into pieces about 1 cm long.
- Green asparagus: 400 g
3
Cut the potatoes into small cubes; if the potato is small, take 2 instead of 1.
- Potato: 1 piece
4
Grate the Parmesan cheese.
- Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano): 120 g
5
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Extra virgin olive oil: 4 tablespoons
6
Similarly, cut the fresh green beans. If you are using thin Kenyan beans, just trim the ends; for large seasonal beans, they need to be cleaned properly (see the video lesson on this topic).
- Green beans: 300 g
7
Add finely chopped onion, garlic, and celery cut into 0.5 cm thick pieces, and sauté for about 10 minutes until soft.
- Onion: 1 head
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Celery: 4 stems
8
Add diced potatoes, 2/3 of the asparagus, green beans, and grated Parmesan, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Potato: 1 piece
- Green asparagus: 400 g
- Green beans: 300 g
- Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano): 120 g
9
Add broth and white beans, bring to a boil, and cook for about 20 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Vegetable broth: 1.5 l
- Canned white beans: 1 g
10
Add the remaining asparagus and frozen peas (without thawing) and cook for about 6-8 minutes.
- Green asparagus: 400 g
- Frozen green peas: 300 g
11
Remove from heat and add finely chopped parsley and basil.
- Chopped parsley: 2 tablespoons
- Chopped basil leaves: 2 tablespoons
12
Let it steep for about 10 minutes.
13
Garnish with basil leaves and sprinkle with parmesan.
- Green basil: 2 stems
- Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano): 120 g
14
Serve with garlic bread or garlic toasts.
- Garlic: 3 cloves
