Minestrone Soup
Recipe By: 
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
  • ½ cup chopped zucchini
  • ½ cup frozen cut italian green beans
  • ¼ cup minced celery (about ½ stalk)
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
  • 7 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
  • 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup carrot, julienned or shredded
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach
  • ½ cup small shell pasta (my favorite is ditalini but macaroni works well also)
Preparation Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, green beans and zucchini and saute just for a couple minutes until the onions are barely beginning to soften.
  2. Next add the broth, carrots, beans, tomatoes and herbs.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.
  4. Next add the pasta and cook about another 10-15 minutes until it is al dente.
  5. Add the spinach and stir to wilt - it will seem like a lot of spinach but it will practically disappear once it wilts.
  6. Serve hot with freshly grated parmesan cheese
Recipe by Foods of Our Lives at https://www.foodsofourlives.com/2011/04/minestrone-soup/