Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 slices preservative-free, all-natural bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 leek, trimmed and sliced thinly
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade (add more, if you prefer it more brothy as this is a thickish soup. Also, chicken bouillon paste, such as "Better than Bouillon" brand or good quality bouillon cubes can be substituted for homemade)
- 1 (15 ounce) can of cooked chickpeas, preferably organic
- 1 (28 ounce) can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes, with juice
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup kale, chopped fine
- 1 (9 ounce) package of high quality, all-natural cheese tortellini
- Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
- Parsley or Basil Pesto:
- 1 cup loosely packed basil or parsley
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
How to Make
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Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook for a couple of minutes, until they start to brown.
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Step 2: Add 2 more tablespoons of oil along with the chopped onion, garlic and leek. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened.
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Step 3: Add the chopped carrot, celery, zucchini, potato and stir around for a minute or two.
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Step 4: Add the stock, the chickpeas, and then the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you go. Add a few generous pinches of salt (be judicious if your stock is salted already). Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
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Step 5: Add the kale and the tortellini, and continue to cook over a simmer until both are tender and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a spoonful of the pesto, a few drops of the aged balsamic, and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
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Parsley or Basil Pesto:
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Step 6: Chop the basil or parsley some more by hand until it's very fine...when you do this, you'll reduce it down to about 1/4 cup.
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Step 7: As you chop the basil, start to incorporate the other ingredients and chop them fine, too, until you have a lovely, finely chopped pesto.
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Step 8: Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil. Use as a garnish for the minestrone.
We hope you enjoy this recipe!
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