Easy One-pot Minestrone

Do you cook with recipes always? I normally don’t, unless I am baking or testing a new recipe. In fact, I write down recipes as I cook, only to be able to share them with you all. Here is one that I call a no-recipe recipe, where everything is just “freestyle”. The kind of minestrone that reminds me of the one I had in San Gimignano
Just add more or less of the ingredients according to availability and your preference. Feel free to use any variety of beans - like cannellini, kidney, chickpeas.

You will need olive oil, minced garlic, chopped yellow onions, diced zucchini, celery, carrots and potatoes, a can of crushed or diced tomatoes, veggie bouillon cube, chopped kale, some cooked beans (from a can or cooked fresh), fresh parsley, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper
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1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, sauté garlic and cook until it starts to become fragrant.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery, season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often
3. Add the zucchini and potato and sauté for a minute
4. Next, add the veggie bouillon cube and tomatoes. Add some water to cover all the ingredients in the pot, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
5. Next, add some chopped kale, cooked beans, and continue to simmer covered for 10 minutes
6. Mash a few beans and potato cubes. The soup would be thicker now. At this point, you can adjust the consistency accordingly by adding some hot water
7. Garnish with some fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed
8. Serve hot, topped with some olive oil and with crusty bread on the side