The Non-Traditional Vegetables That Belong In Your Minestrone Soup

Though we don't like to mess with perfection, we certainly have no qualms about adjusting it to fit our needs. Minestrone soup is the very peak of comfort food — a medley of hearty vegetables, tender pasta, and earthy beans simmered together in a steamy broth. The classic Italian dish boasts a wealth of vegetables like spinach and green beans. However, you can always switch things up with your own mix.

Our hearty minestrone soup features tender leaves of wilted spinach. The mild leaf is a great choice for any veggie soup, adding a dose of nutrients while slightly bulking it up. However, recipe developer Miriam Hahn notes that the dish earns its "hearty" title from more prominent ingredients. "The potatoes and beans make this a very hearty soup," she says. As long as they're present, thickening the dish with comforting earthiness, you can opt for other vegetables based on what you have in the fridge.

Hahn has her own list of greens that fit right into the cozy soup. "Green beans are a typical add-in but you can also use broccoli, zucchini, or asparagus," she says. Broccoli's grassy, bitterness meshes well with the zesty tomatoes, while zucchini's mildness easily soaks in the flavors of the herbaceous broth. Asparagus is another great choice, possessing a buttery sweetness that elevates the soup. While the specific vegetables you opt for are up to you, using soffritto, the Italian base of sauteed onions, celery, and carrots, is non-negotiable.

The richness of minestrone soup extends beyond just a cold winter's night. The steamy soup is delicious at all times of the year, and with a rotating list of vegetables every season, you'll never tire of it. Spinach, a common minestrone add-in, is a common spring vegetable that pairs well with some of Hahn's suggestions. If you'd like your soup to be a little more green, veggies like broccoli, peas, asparagus, and fava beans are great additions that are in season during spring.

If it's a little chilly where you are, there are plenty of leafy greens that can be used in place of spinach. "If you don't have spinach on hand, you can use chard, kale, arugula, or collard greens," says Hahn. With the exception of arugula, the hardy veggies prefer cooler temperatures, making them perfect for a cold autumn day. These particular greens tend to be mildly bitter, so you can add a dash of something sweet or salty to balance things out. Cubes of butternut squash bring a delicate chew to minestrone while pancetta adds a savory richness to the soup.

To top things off, add a garnish of fresh herbs that bring all the flavors together. Hahn prefers to use fresh basil, which is perfect for the bright peas, asparagus, spinach, and fava beans that can flavor a spring-time minestrone soup. For something headier, woodsy thyme or rosemary are the perfect picks.