Green Minestrone! I absolutely cannot wait for you to try this. It’s all about starting with Chicken Stock (and if you haven’t tried my homemade chicken stock, this is the moment), then adding your local and in season green vegetables.

I used all my favorites, including green beans, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, celery, and sugar snap peas, but feel free to pair it down to just a few vegetables. I love all the green but added carrot for a little bit of contrast. It’s fabulous as is but elevated to the next level with a dollop of my Pistachio Pesto stirred in. The color is magnificent, and the flavor even better.

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Green Minestrone Soup with Meatballs and Pistachio

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: nocrumbsleft
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 30 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
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Description

This hearty soup is easy to make and the best way to warm up your winter!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spicy Italian sausage (remove from casing, if needed), rolled into small (1”) meatballs
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • ½ cup chopped carrots (cut into fourths lengthwise, then chop)
  • 1 cup chopped parsnips (cut the same as the carrots)
  • 2 cups sliced kale
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 2 cups green cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, cut in half at an angle
  • 2 cups zucchini, sliced lengthwise then into 1/2-inch pieces
  • Pistachio Pesto MAGIC ELIXIRS (Recipe HERE)

Instructions

ROLL the sausage into 1” meatballs.

HEAT 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.  

PLACE the meatballs in the Dutch oven and cook until they are browned on each side, about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

LEAVE the drippings and oil from the meatballs in the pan and sauté the onions, celery, carrots, parsnips, and kale. Add the bay leaf. Sauté for about 6 minutes.  Add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper

ADD the chopped garlic and sauté for another minute.  Add the chicken stock and the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.

ADD the cabbage, green beans and sugar snap peas and cook for 3 minutes.  Add zucchini and return the meatballs to the pot.  Bring to a boil then turn off.

Remove the bay leaf. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

SERVE with Pistachio Pesto.