Spring Minestrone with Whipped Ricotta

I am a soup girl. You can play around with soup, throw all different kinds of random shit in there and see what happens. And this is the type of soup recipe I love and adore: easy, quick, healthy, deeeeelish and loaded with seasonal veggies.

I have a couple different seasonal minestrone recipes I make often in their respective seasons: a heavier roasted-tomato-based winter minestrone full of kale and root veggies and pasta, and a light, brothy summer minestrone featuring fresh, ripe tomatoes, summer squash and a basil pesto garnish. Both are huge hits with the whole fam. So when I came across this spring minestrone recipe in Rachael Ray magazine, I was pumped at the prospect of adding a new minestrone to the line-up.

Even just setting out the ingredients on the counter got me all excited. Asparagus, leeks and peas are stellar in spring, all at their peak flavor. The creamy cannellini beans and chewy pasta add texture and hardiness, and the lemon and parsley lend a subtle herbal brightness, but it’s the fresh whipped ricotta that really kicks ass here. I used my own homemade ricotta (soooo easy, see the recipe here), which just made the soup that much more slurpable. I was banking on having some leftovers for lunch the next day, but alas, this was such a raging success that there was absolutely nothing left after my boys’ second and third helpings.

Looks like there’s a new minestrone in town.

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Spring Minestrone with Whipped Ricotta

Soup soup soup, I love soup. This recipe makes good use of spring veggies, while cannellini beans and fresh ricotta keep it satiating.

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Courses

Soup

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

servings MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup small pasta
• 1 15- oz can of cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 1 leek halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 lb asparagus chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup minced Italian parsley
• 1 lemon zested and juiced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup ricotta

Courses Soup Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 5 cloves garlic minced 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 cup small pasta 1 15- oz can of cannellini beans drained and rinsed 1 zucchini chopped 1 leek halved and thinly sliced 1/4 lb asparagus chopped 1 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup minced Italian parsley 1 lemon zested and juiced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup ricotta

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 or 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the stock, pasta and beans, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the zucchini, stirring often for another 3 minutes or so.
4. Add the leek, asparagus, peas, 1/4 cup of the parsley and 1 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Simmer until the veggies are just barely tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. To whip the ricotta, use a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer to whip until fluffy. Season to taste with salt.
6. To serve, ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with a dollop of whipped ricotta, a pinch of lemon zest and a sprinkle of parsley.
7. Sit back and enjoy the taste of spring dancing all up on your taste buds.