Italian Minestrone Soup
Recipes Italian Main Dish Meal ideas Seasonal cooking Soups and stews
Description
Baby, it's cold outside and a warm, comforting, satisfying soup is needed. It's also healthy with lots of veggies and very delicious. Serve with a crusty bread.
Ingredients
2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
several inner stalks of celery, plus leaves, sliced
32 oz. chicken, beef or vegetable stock/broth
2 bay leaves
Parmesan rind, optional, but so good
26 oz. strained or crushed tomatoes
12 oz. roasted red peppers
2 carrots, diced
1/2 small delicata squash, halved, seeded, and sliced, not peeled
1 golden beet, diced or cut into small wedges
2 c. purple and orange cauliflower florets, sliced if large
handful fresh green beans, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into half moons
1 - 2 sliced red jalapeño peppers (or dried chili flakes to taste, start with 1/2 t.)
15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. cooked small cut pasta, like ditalini (or mini farfalle)
2-3 handfuls fresh greens, like baby spinach
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
garnish, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Log in to Faxo
Create, share, and connect with millions of people.Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
Use phone or email
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain; set aside.
Meanwhile, add oil and butter to a large soup pot; sauté onion for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; cook for several minutes, stirring often. Add celery; cook for 5 minutes. Add stock/broth, bay leaves and cheese rind to the pot.
While onions and celery are cooking, puree tomatoes and red peppers in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Add tomato sauce to the pot; stir; bring soup up to a simmer; lower heat; cook for about 15 minutes.
Add denser vegetables to the pot, like the carrots, squash, and beets; let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, beans, zucchini, red peppers (or dried flakes, if using) and kidney beans. Cover; simmer until vegetables are tender. If soup seems too thick, add a little water or stock/broth to thin it down. Stir in cooked pasta; add the greens; stir into the soup until wilted down.
Remove/discard cheese rind and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve, topped with cheese and a drizzle of oil, if desired.
8 servings.
Tips:
*For another layer of flavor, sauté some diced pancetta, sausage or bacon with the onions.
**The kidney beans can be substituted with chickpeas, white or black beans. You can add more than one kind of beans, if you wish.
***If desired, add potatoes.
****For extra protein, add shredded rotisserie chicken or sausage.