Hearty Minestrone Soup
A quick throw together soup that gets rave reviews!
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 - 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 - 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I actually add 2 cans)
1 - 15 oz. can of your favorite white bean such as cannellini or great northern, drained and rinsed
1 - 2 cups chopped fresh green beans
1 medium sized zucchini, chopped
1 medium sized yellow squash, chopped
2 quarts vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste, optional
1/2 pound small pasta, elbows, shells, or ditalini, cooked and set aside
Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Method
In an 8 quart stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and cook until the onion starts to soften and become translucent. Add in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes, beans and vegetable broth, water, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and parsley. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover for 15 minutes. Add in the zucchini and squash and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add in desired amount of red pepper flakes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Stir in 2-3 cups of the cooked pasta. Stir to combine. When serving, add in additional pasta if desired and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
