Garden Minestrone

From the garden

• 2 medium zucchini or summer squash, diced
• ½ lb green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chard, kale, or spinach, chopped
• ¼ cup basil or parsley, torn (optional) — for serving

From the pantry

• 3 tbsp olive oil — plus more for drizzling
• 1 can canned crushed tomatoes — 14-ounce; or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes at peak season
• 1 can canned white beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbows)
• 1 bay leaf
• Parmesan cheese (optional) — grated for serving — and drop the rind into the pot if you have one
• salt — to taste
• black pepper

1. Warm the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, 8–10 minutes until soft and sweet — don't rush the soffritto; it's the soup's backbone. Stir in the garlic for the last minute.
2. Add the stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a simmer, add the green beans, and cook 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the zucchini, white beans, and pasta and simmer 10–12 minutes more, until the pasta is tender and the zucchini has gone soft but not mushy.
4. Stir in the greens and cook just until wilted — a minute for spinach, three or four for chard or kale. Fish out the bay leaf and rind.
5. Season assertively with salt and pepper, then rest the soup 5 minutes off the heat. Ladle into bowls and finish with torn herbs, grated Parmesan, and a thread of olive oil.