Leonardo’s Minestrone
An invitation to take good care of yourself the way the maestro would
It was tempting to create a video of me preparing this delicious soup, but, because of a couple of very minor incidents, I have been asked not to attempt anything more complicated than coffee in our kitchen unless I’m accompanied by a fire crew and a hazmat team.
So without further delay, welcome to a kitchen in which I can do no harm, where I’ll share with you a recipe for a soup very similar to Leonardo da Vinci’s favorite minestrone.
In the same way that Leonardo da Vinci was a man of all arts, this soup — his favorite — is a soup for all seasons. This is a rich, hearty soup that can be served as a healthy meal on its own any time of year.
It can be almost as much a joy to make as it is to eat if you pay attention to the sensory details the way Leonardo did. Savor the smells, colors, and textures as you prepare it. Let creating this dish remind you to take care of yourself the way the maestro would.
Gather Your Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
a small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
a carrot, peeled and chopped
a clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
a stalk of celery, chopped
a tablespoon of green bell pepper, finely diced
a small potato, peeled and chopped
a cup of green beans
a 15-ounce can of cannellini beans or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
a 15-ounce can of cooked tomatoes, petite dices
7 cups of stock, chicken or vegetable (Leonardo may have leaned toward being a vegetarian.)
non-vegetarian option: 1 cup of diced roast chicken
natural spring salt and freshly ground Tellicherry black pepper
a bay leaf
a pinch of fresh thyme
a pinch of oregano
a splash of white wine
Toppings:
6 leaves of fresh basil
shredded Parmesan cheese
Put Them Together
1. In a large stock pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, carrot, and a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the fragrant onions turn golden — about 8 minutes.
2. Add a splash of wine and stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute, and then add everything else except the chicken, basil, and Parmesan. Bring the soup to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer on low until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
4. For a heartier soup, add 1 cup of diced roast chicken now.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with torn basil leaves and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.
6. Serve with crusty sourdough garlic toast and a large garden salad.
