When it’s cold outside what could be better than a nice light minestrone? A vegan dish that warms you up — here I explain how to prepare it from 0 to 4 Weight Watchers points. In fact, if you make it with only vegetables it will cost you 0 points, but if you add some ingredients you can make it more filling and use at most 4 points.
The ingredients I use are the typical minestrone vegetables; often I take all the leftover vegetables from the fridge. Or I buy a lot of zero-point vegetables and prepare freezer bags of minestrone ready to cook. So onion, carrot, zucchini, green beans, cabbage or other — it depends on the season.
If I want a heartier minestrone for a few extra points I add some legumes like beans or peas and also some pasta. I often eat it at the start of dinner to warm up and already fill up before putting the main course on the plate. Let’s see how to make it.
A few other soups you can make:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
The following are approximate quantities and all are zero-point vegetables. You can vary them as you like depending on the seasonal vegetables available:
1 onion
2 zucchinis (zucchini)
1/2 savoy cabbage
4 celery ribs or 1/3 celeriac (celery root)
1 large carrot
10 cups fresh spinach (about 300 g)
2 cups green beans (about 200 g)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tomatoes (ripe)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (vegetable, I use the granular kind)
- as needed mixed vegetables (all zero-point WW vegetables, see above for a suggested list)
- 1/2 cup canned cannellini beans (or home-cooked)
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- 3.5 oz whole-wheat pasta (dry; about 3.5 oz (≈1 cup))
- Points per serving without pasta/legumes = 0 WW points
- Points per serving with legumes only = 2 WW points
- Points per serving with pasta only = 3 WW points
- Points per serving with pasta and legumes = 4 WW points
Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Reusable bags
Steps
Wash all the vegetables well and cut them into pieces not too small. If you are using legumes and/or pasta, weigh the required amount.
Sauté the garlic sliced in the teaspoon of oil and as soon as it starts to brown add the tomatoes cut into cubes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, then add all the vegetables except the spinach and the frozen peas if you are using them. Mix well and cover with water. Add the vegetable bouillon cube or a couple of teaspoons of the granular one. Stir well, cover and simmer on low heat for about half an hour.
At this point the vegetables will be cooked but not completely falling apart. Add the spinach and the peas if you are using them and cook for another 10 minutes. Adjust the salt and if you want to add pasta this is the moment to pour it into the minestrone and let it cook, adding a little more water if necessary.
Our light minestrone, with or without pasta and legumes, is ready to be served steaming hot.
As I explained before, I usually buy enough vegetables to prepare the minestrone for the day and to fill some freezer bags.
If you want to do the same, after preparing the vegetables put them immediately into freezer bags leaving the spinach on top so it will be easy to set aside during cooking.
When you want to make the light minestrone you will only need to prepare the base seasoning with garlic and tomatoes, add the vegetables except the spinach and continue as in the recipe.
Do the same with the beans but leave them in separate bags from the vegetables and add them during cooking together with all the other vegetables. This way you’ll always have the option to make the light minestrone at 0 points.
Serve it steaming in serving bowls and not only in winter: try it warm in summer too — it’s good anytime. Let me know how you make your minestrone below in the comments…
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
You can keep it in the fridge for 4 days or freeze it for 4 months following the instructions in the recipe.
