Minestrone (minestrone di verdure) is an Italian classic: a thick vegetable soup that usually includes onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and some kind of small pasta, plus whatever other vegetables or legumes which might be preferred and available: cabbage, potatoes, green beans, cannelloni beans, zucchini, squash, etc. I like to add ground Italian sausage to mine, although you are more likely to see meat in a pasta e fagioli, another Italian favorite. I served my version at