Name: Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 7 servings
Ingredients: 0.25 cup Extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling; 1 whole Carrot medium; cut into ½-inch pieces; 1 stalk Celery sliced; 1 whole Onion medium; diced; 2.5 tsp Kosher salt divided, plus more as needed; 0.5 tsp Black Pepper freshly ground, plus more for serving; 1 whole Zucchini medium; cut into ½-inch pieces; 4 whole Garlic cloves grated or minced; 15.5 oz cannellini beans canned; drained and rinsed; 4 cup chicken or vegetable stock; 28 oz diced or whole plum tomatoes canned; if whole, break up before adding; 1 cup corn kernels fresh from 1 large ear or frozen and thawed; 0.5 cup orzo; 8 oz cherry tomatoes quartered; 0.25 cup pesto prepared, plus more for serving; 0 whole Parmesan Cheese for serving; grated; 0 whole Fresh basil leaves for serving; torn

Cooking Instructions

1
Sauté vegetables
In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the carrot, celery, onion, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
2
Add beans and tomatoes; simmer
Add the beans, stock, canned tomatoes and their liquid, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt. If using whole plum tomatoes, break them up with kitchen shears or squish them in your hands before adding them to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
3
Cook corn and orzo
Stir in the corn and orzo, then return to a simmer. Cook until the orzo is nearly tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
4
Mix cherry tomatoes with pesto
While the soup is simmering, in a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes and pesto.
5
Add tomatoes and pesto to soup
When the orzo is almost tender, add the tomatoes and pesto to the pot and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes longer to heat the tomatoes through and finish cooking the orzo.
6
Serve soup with toppings
Remove from heat and ladle soup into bowls. Serve drizzled with a little more olive oil and topped with more pesto, grated Parmesan, torn fresh basil leaves, and lots of black pepper.

Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

Ingredients

Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

Cooking Instructions

Sauté vegetables

Add beans and tomatoes; simmer

Cook corn and orzo

Mix cherry tomatoes with pesto

Add tomatoes and pesto to soup

Serve soup with toppings

Make dinner one less decision.