The 2 Ingredients Guaranteed To Make Minestrone Better

Minestrone is the ultimate veggie soup

. It's got rich tomato broth, pasta, and a garden's worth of veggies swimming in there. Here at Allrecipes, the most popular one around is Jamie's Minestrone; people rave about it. So, what, you might ask, could make it even better? Here you go:

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard adds body, flavor, and nutrients

. Any leafy green, will work, actually—kale, collards, even fresh spinach. But chard, with it's thick-but-tender stems and almost buttery flavor, is perfect for standing up to the big flavors around it. Plus, when you reheat the leftovers, it doesn't break down. That's a big bonus.

Pesto

Like any good sauce, pesto really is more than the sum of its parts once all those ingredients are blended together. Mix it in while it's cooking, and add a dollop as garnish when you serve the soup.