Minestrone Verde -- a soupy stew of beans, greens and pasta -- showcases spring's finest

The idea for a spring green spin on minestrone came to me after reading about minestras and pasta e fagioli, and generally about the muddled definitions of soups and stews in Italian and other cuisines.

Working as a recipe developer is funny. It may not seem this way, but because we test and retest (and retest) every recipe, and then need to have each one professionally photographed, we're always working far ahead.

I developed this perfect-for-April recipe for Minestrone Verde, a soupy stew of beans, greens and pasta, in January. There was very little asparagus at the markets then, and I had to rely on frozen peas and my small pots of tender basil to get me through the development process.

But it was a fun way to let myself start daydreaming of spring's green things. I thought that a soup full of green vegetables and herbs would be just the kind of meal I'd want to eat on a cool night in early spring.

So, I went to the market and bought up all the green things I could find: There were green onions but no green garlic, asparagus but no spring peas. I bought a box of baby spinach leaves and looked for decent basil. I picked up fresh Italian parsley and also a bunch of dill. I knew I wanted beans in this soup, but instead of a white bean like cannellini, I decided on frozen lima beans - a dense, buttery bean that's pale green, unfortunately much maligned but delicious and easy to find.

The first time I made the soup, I used all vegetable stock. It tinted the broth brown, so I made a mixed herb pesto to stir into the finished minestrone. After a few more tests, I settled on part vegetable broth and part water, with a generous amount of pesto to be stirred in, tableside. It turns the broth green as spring grass - and gives it a lush, verdant flavor. It's just what I think you might want on a rainy or cool early spring night.

MINESTRONE VERDE

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings (Makes 11 cups soup and 1/2 cup pesto)

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

This minestrone, thick with spring vegetables, is tinted green with an herb pesto swirled into each bowl before serving.

If you can't find fresh scallions use a small onion instead.

Out of vegetable stock? Use water and maybe a splash of white wine.

I love the lima beans here though you could swap them for a white bean or even more peas.

I wouldn't skip the pesto, but if you do, drizzle each portion with a bit of olive oil and garnish with grated cheese and chopped herbs.

Make Ahead: The pesto can be made 1 day in advance.

Storage Notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 scallions, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
•3 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
• 6 cups water
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 cup (3 ounces) frozen, or canned and drained, lima beans
• 10 stalks asparagus, preferably thin, woody ends discarded, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups (about 4 ounces) small pasta, such as ditalini, mini farfalle or orzo
• 1 cup (2 ounces) green peas (fresh or frozen)
• Fine salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

FOR THE PESTO

• 1 bunch (1 1/2 ounces) fresh parsley, dill or basil, leaves and tender stems, or a blend, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed DIRECTIONS

In a large Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until it shimmers. Add the scallions, celery and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Then, proceed with the rest of the recipe above. (To make the soup vegan, omit the cheese from the pesto.)

Nutrition information per serving (scant 2 cups soup and 1 heaping tablespoon pesto), based on 6 | Calories: 448; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 407 mg; Carbohydrates: 55 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Sugars: 4 g; Protein: 14 g.

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