Mushroom Minestrone Soup
Photo: James Lenhart / Contributor
Minestrone has a rich history dating back to the second century BC when Rome conquered Italy and monopolized the commercial and road networks. During this time, economic growth flourished allowing Italians access to a multitude of new vegetables. Gathering ingredients from leftover meals, Italian peasants popularized this ‘poor man’s soup’ into a delicious one-pot meal. Common ingredients included beans, onions, celery, carrots, fresh herbs, and pasta. I like to believe that aromatic spices like cinnamon and black pepper were also added. Meat or sausage was and is still used sometimes as a base.
In many versions of this soup, the beans are what create the magic in the minestrone, however, do use this recipe as a guide when making your own. Given the enormous popularity of new mushrooms on the market, try one out using your choice of mushrooms.