What's more romantic than a hot bowl of soup made with love? If you're TODAY's Dylan Dreyer, it doesn't get much better than that.
On many weeknights, Dylan does the cooking at home or orders takeout for her family. But over the weekend, her husband, NBC News cameraman Brian Fichera, spoiled his wife with a delicious rendition on one of her go-to soup recipes.
Dylan and Fichera celebrated their 7th wedding anniversary on Sunday. Dylan, who announced she's pregnant with her second child in July, toasted to the occasion with some sparkling cider.
"Toasting to our 7th Anniversary!! @fishlense the joy you bring me is indescribable...thank you for being you and all you do. I love you," she posted.
A few hours later, that joy was elevated when Fichera chopped up some veggies, turned up the heat (on the stove) and whipped up something special.
"Ladies and gentlemen...@fishlense has learned to cook!!!! We’re adding minestrone soup to his repertoire of cinnamon toast and popcorn!! Not even lying...it’s absolutely delicious!!! #tookonly7years #winnerwinnersoupfordinner #anniversarydinner," the 3rd hour of TODAY co-host wrote, along with a picture of the finished meal.
It turns out that this particular recipe is something Dylan makes often and even though her husband might not cook very often, he aced this dinner.
"It was a 'verbal' recipe, meaning he did all the work but I told him the recipe from the comfort of the couch!" Dylan told TODAY. She likes to enjoy it with some fresh spinach leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, too.
Dozens commenters agreed, chiming in that the soup looked delicious.
This minestrone is definitely a keeper but when it comes to simple soups, Dylan's Calvin-approved, three-ingredient cauliflower recipe might still take the top spot!
How to make Dylan Dreyer's Minestrone
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound of pancetta, diced
- 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 stalks celery, diced
- 5 carrots, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 box of crushed tomatoes (Dylan uses Pomi)
- 2 boxes of beef broth
- 1 cup uncooked Ditalini noodles
- 1 rind of Parmesan or Grano Padano cheese
Heat a pot to medium-high heat. Sauté pancetta in olive oil until slightly crispy. Reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery; sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir and sauté all veggies together until cooked down a bit, about 2 more minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and thoroughly combine with veggies. Add in the broth and bring everything to a boil. Then add in a whole cheese rind. Cover the soup, reduce the heat and bring to a simmer. At this stage, you can let it rest for as long as you want but note that it will reduce. I wait about 20-30 minutes.
When you’re about ready to eat, toss in the pasta and let it cook through (about 10 minutes to al dente). Remove the rind from the pot. Before serving, try a noodle to make sure it's not undercooked. Sprinkle on some extra cheese, if desired, and enjoy!
