And it’s the best way to recycle leftover veggies.

“During my time cooking in Italy, I made a lot of zuppa with spare pieces of vegetables and bits of leftover pasta,” writes Edy Massih, owner of Edy’s Grocer and author of the cookbook Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy’s Grocer. The thriftiness required to churn out this Tuscan soup resonated with Massih, who recalled cuisine from his native Lebanon: “This soup strongly reminds me of the flavors of both places that formed my culinary identity.”

“Historically, minestrone was the food of the poor, made with whatever was on hand, and it’s still a great way to reduce food waste,” Massih says. Inspired, he created this recipe for minestrone that will help you brilliantly use up last night’s leftovers: “Save your scraps in the freezer to make a homemade stock for later, and if you have veggies dying in the fridge, throw them in.”

Plus, Massiah adds harissa to easily, uniquely, and affordably prevent all this frugality from getting dull. “Harissa is a Moroccan chili paste that is used in Lebanon as a meat rub or a fiery accent in stews,” he explains — which means your bowl of soup is both eco-friendly and palate-expanding. Sounds like the best of both worlds.

Edy Massih’s Moroccan Harissa Minestrone Recipe

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced (2 cups)
2 carrots, diced (2 cups)
2 red bell peppers, diced (2 cups)
4 celery stalks, diced (2 cups)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
¼ cup harissa paste
3 tablespoons kosher salt
4 bay leaves
2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh or dried parsley
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup dried pearl couscous

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and sauté, stirring often, until translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add the carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes, until vibrant.
Add the bell peppers and sauté for 5 more minutes, until tender.
Add the celery and sauté for 5 more minutes, until translucent.
Add the tomatoes, stock, harissa, salt, bay leaves, and 4 cups water. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Stir in the chickpeas and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add the parsley and lime juice and taste for seasoning. Keep warm over low heat.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in the couscous and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Scoop ¼ cup of the couscous into each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Serve immediately.

Edy’s tip: You can make this with finer couscous or keep it gluten-free with no couscous at all. The vegetables here are my standard base for this soup, but swap in anything you have in the crisper drawer (or freezer) that needs to get used up!