Grandma’s Homemade Minestrone Soup

Once a year we would visit my grandma, who became a widow far too early. It always made me sad to know how much she was alone, but gathering around her table brought so much light and joy into her eyes I knew she would be ok. In the winter, she almost always made a Minestrone Soup with pasta or potatoes. The house felt cozier when it was on the stove, and you were engulfed with the smell it as soon as you walked in.

She served it with garlic knots and salad, and we’d dip the bread straight into the soup, letting it soak up the warm broth before taking a bite. It’s usually hard to get kids excited about a bowl full of vegetables and beans, but this soup is different. We always finished it, and most of the time went back for seconds. Even now, Minestrone reminds me of sitting at her kitchen table.