Italian Minestrone Soup
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
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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.