Green Minestrone with Homemade Crackers
In this class we’re talking greens, beans, and grains. A super nutritious take on the classic Italian minestrone soup will leave you full and happy. No skimping on taste–we’ll show you how to build big flavors in veggie-based dishes. Plus, we’re making crispy crunchy crackers, a recipe you’ll definitely want to hold onto.
Recipe
Green Minestrone with Homemade Crackers
Servings: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Minestrone Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2-1/2 cups broccoli, chopped
- 2 cups cabbage, sliced
- 2 cups zucchini, diced
- 1-1/2 cups kale, stems removed and sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon sea kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 ½ cup Farro, cooked
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
Homemade Crackers:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup finely ground oats
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2-4 tablespoons ice water
- 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
Instructions:
Minestrone Soup:
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until it shimmers. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and sautė for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and cabbage, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, kale, thyme, rosemary, kosher salt and pepper, and sautė for 2 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans and chicken (or vegetable) broth. Bring the soup to a simmer.
- Stir in the farro and almond milk and serve.
Homemade Crackers:
- In a food processor, combine the almond flour, finely ground oats, grated Parmesan cheese, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Pulse a few times to mix the dry ingredients.
- Add the cold butter cubes to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together. You may need to use anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons of ice water. Stop the processor as soon as the dough forms a ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times to bring it together into a smooth ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to your desired thickness (usually about 1/8 inch or 3mm thick).
- Sprinkle the finely chopped nuts onto the rolled-out dough and gently press them in, so they adhere to the dough.
- Use a knife or a cookie cutter to cut the dough into your desired cracker shapes. You can go with squares, rectangles, or even use cookie cutters for fun shapes.
- Place the cut crackers onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
- Optionally, you can sprinkle a little extra grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of dried rosemary on top of each cracker for added flavor.
- Bake the crackers in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crisp.
- Remove the crackers from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Once completely cooled, store your homemade Parmesan and rosemary crackers with nuts in an airtight container.