Typically, minestrone is a hearty, wintry soup thickened with lots of beans and pasta. This version, from Trevor Kaufman, is much lighter. The peas help make it summery; for convenience this recipe calls for frozen peas, but fresh ones would be terrific too—just let them simmer for a few extra minutes. Plus: More Soup Recipes and Tips
How to Make It
In a stockpot, heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine, leeks, celery and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 20 minutes. Add the water and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a large saucepan and discard the vegetables. Keep the stock warm.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add the zucchini and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini soften, about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and the cannellini beans to the vegetable stock and simmer until the zucchini are very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and parsley and simmer for 1 minute longer; season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the thyme, Parmesan shavings and a drizzle of olive oil.