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Recipes/Snap Pea Minestrone Verde
Snap Pea Minestrone Verde
Italian

Snap Pea Minestrone Verde

Snap Pea Minestrone Verde is a fresh light minestrone that uses the best of springs produce.

By Chef Laura Bonicelli

peaszucchini

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

40 min

Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 clovegarlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoonspine nuts
  • 1 cupchopped basil
  • 1/4 cupgrated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
  • Maldon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cupthinly sliced leek
  • 2 small zucchini (halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons)
  • 4 cupschicken stock
  • 3 cupscoarsely chopped baby spinach (stemmed, if necessary)
  • 1 cupcooked orzo
  • 1 cupshelled snap peas (or frozen peas thawed)
  • 1 teaspoonfresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoonKosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic. Add in the pine nuts and mash. Work the chopped basil in by adding 1/4 cup at a time until mashed. Stir in the cheese and olive oil. Season with salt, to taste.

  2. 2

    Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add in the zucchini and cook, stirring, for an additional 3 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the chicken stock to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.

  4. 4

    Add the spinach to the soup. Cook until the spinach wilts, about 1 minute.

  5. 5

    Add the cooked orzo, peas, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

  6. 6

    Serve in four bowls topped with a dollop of pesto.

Chef's Notes

Copyright: Chef Laura Bonicelli

Nutrition (per serving)

348

Calories

15g

Protein

30g

Carbs

19g

Fat

3g

Fiber

1045mg

Sodium

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Minneapolis, Minnesota

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