Spring Minestrone Soup
Spring is in full swing, and I love embracing vegetables in a Spring Minestrone Soup. Asparagus is only here for about two months, so now is the moment to embrace it, people!
Some people might think that with the weather warming, soups would be out the window. That is not the case for me. Soups are a year-round delight. In spring, I love making vegetable forward soups for spring, and a Spring Minestrone is perfect to enjoy all season long.
If you can find fresh fava beans, they are a must-do for this recipe. If not, you can use frozen fava beans or peas, which are also delicious. I absolutely love adding rice to soup. It’s such a lovely treat and pairs so well with the vegetables.
What’s great about a recipe like a Spring Minestrone is how easy it is to put together. It only takes about a half an hour, and you can make it a double batch for easy freezing and prep. My freezer is always filled with soups that I can take out and heat up if I’m ever in a pinch.
While a lot of people know me for my salads, I’m quite the soup expert too. I eat it almost every single day, and I love finding ways to use what’s in season to make something lovely. If you’re looking for more asparagus inspiration, our Summer Green Soup is a great option.
If you make the Spring Minestrone, be sure to rate and review it below! And if you want to follow along, head to Instagram and Pinterest for more inspiration!
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Spring Minestrone Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
I love a Spring Minestrone with beautiful seasonal vegetables and rice for the perfect Spring meal!
Ingredients
1 cup frozen fava beans*, and/or fresh shelled or frozen English peas, thawed
8 cups homemade chicken broth
¼ cup white rice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup sliced shallots
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced (we used shiitake, but use your favorite)
8 asparagus spears, sliced into approx. ½ inch pieces (woody ends trimmed, heads kept intact)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ cup crushed tomatoes
Grated Parmesan, for sprinkling
Parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
In a large pot over high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the rice and boil for as long as your rice’s cooking instructions indicate, usually 12 to 15 minutes. When there are 3 more minutes left to go per your rice’s cooking instructions, add the fava beans or English peas and cook for the remaining 3 minutes or until the rice and the beans/peas are cooked to your liking.
While the rice is cooking, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the butter and olive oil. Once the butter melts, add the shallots and sauté until caramelized and soft, for about 4 minutes. In the same pan add the mushrooms and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the asparagus and 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook for 3 – 4 minutes, or until the asparagus is crisp-tender. Lastly, add the garlic and stir to combine, cooking for about 30 seconds.
Finally, stir the crushed tomatoes and the vegetables from the sauté pan into the hot soup. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan and parsley.
Notes
If you’re lucky enough to find fresh fava beans: Prepare a medium bowl of ice water.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil with 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the shelled fava beans, and blanch until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice water for 1 minute. Drain and then pop each of the favas from their skins. Set aside.