No Blender Needed: Laurent Mariotte’s Go-To Cheap, Filling Winter Soup Recipe!

As winter sets in, Laurent Mariotte always prepares this soup. “This is my big chill plan!“, he states on Instagram. Nutritious and budget-friendly, it’s a quintessential recipe from the Italian cucina povera. Originally, this peasant soup was crafted to make use of leftovers: slightly wilted vegetables, stale bread, and legumes were thrown in to create a filling and complete meal. Plus, it’s as easy on the kitchen skills as it is on the wallet: no fancy equipment needed, not even a blender—all the ingredients cook together in one pot!

Ingredients for Laurent Mariotte’s Easy Winter Soup

Here, the host of “Petits plats en équilibre” puts a twist on the classic Italian minestrone. In addition to traditional ingredients, he includes winter vegetables like parsnips and kohlrabi.

• 2 parsnips
• 1 kohlrabi
• 2 carrots
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 onion
• 50 cl of vegetable broth
• 150 g of small pasta
• 400 g of jarred cooked white beans
• 50 g of parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• Fine salt and freshly ground pepper

Making Laurent Mariotte’s Easy Winter Soup

For utensils, you’ll only need a peeler, a chopping board, a sharp knife, and a large pot.

1. Peel and thoroughly rinse the vegetables.
2. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in the pot with a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Cut the vegetables into small cubes about 5 millimeters on each side and add them to the onion.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth and let it cook for 15 minutes.
5. Then add the pasta and drained white beans, and stir well.
6. Cook for an additional 10 minutes and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serve in deep plates sprinkled with shavings of parmesan right before serving. You’ll love it!

Good to know: for a minestrone with more depth, Italians often add the rind of the parmesan cheese into the broth. It contributes umami, that savory taste that makes all the difference.