Minestrone

minestrone an emphatic form of the Italian word minestra (one of two general terms for soup, the other being zuppa), refers to what is probably the best-known Italian soup, and certainly one of the most substantial. It has a high content of solid matter, including a range of vegetables, and pasta or rice, and may be regarded as a sort of Italian equivalent of scotch broth.

As with most Italian soups, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese is almost obligatory, and helps to make the dish, taken with bread, a meal in itself.