Lean Minestrone Soup

This famous Italian soup is remarkable, in particular, because of its recipes
cooking a great variety. It is cooked from a wide variety of seasonal vegetables and with pasta and rice, and, as in our version, with legumes. In some regions of Italy, pesto is added to it, in others - parmesan. In a word, there is enough room for creativity. The main thing is to preserve the very Mediterranean flavor that gives the soup a unique charm: use extra virgin olive oil, the best tomatoes and aromatic green basil.

Ingredients

• 150 g each split peas, red and green lentils, rice and large wheat groats
• 1 small eggplant
• 100 g pumpkin
• 1 small carrot
• 1 small head of kohlrabi
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 st. l. extra virgin olive oil
• a few sprigs of green basil
• sea ​​salt, freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Soak the peas in cold water for 4-6 hours, then discard in a colander.
2. Place peas, red and green lentils, rice and wheat grits in any steamer-proof whole container, pour 1.5 liters of boiling water and cook for 30–35 minutes.
3. Cut eggplant and potatoes into large cubes, kohlrabi and pumpkin into slices; add to soup. Cook for 25 minutes.
4. Cut the carrots into circles, finely chop the onion and garlic.
5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the onion and garlic until soft, 5-7 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and simmer for 3 minutes. in the same pan.
6. Transfer all prepared vegetables to a double boiler, salt and pepper to taste, add bay leaves and cook for 12-15 minutes. Pour the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with basil leaves.