Hearty and rich, my Minestrone Soup is full of flavor and classic ingredients including tomatoes, zucchini, onion, garlic and carrot. This soup is a wonderful late summer/early fall meal. It uses up those beautiful garden-fresh vegetables and provides a comforting meal; the meal that I’ve been waiting for. I’m ready for fall and the change in seasons and seasonal-eating. It’s been a hot summer. Bring on those cool nights, sweaters, cozy meals and all.
To make this soup, start by chopping 1 medium-sized onion, 3 large carrots and 1 medium/large zucchini that has been deseeded. Heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven or stock pot and add the chopped vegetables to the pot, along with one teaspoon of kosher salt. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Next, add 4 cloves of minced or grated garlic, one teaspoon of dried oregano, one teaspoon of dried basil and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for one minute. Next, stir in one, 6 ounce can of tomato paste and cook for two minutes longer. Next, add one, 28 ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and 32 ounces of vegetable stock. Stir, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add one, 15 ounce can of “no salt added” kidney beans (I like this brand) and cook for 10 minutes longer. Next, add one cup of anellini pasta, two packed cups of fresh baby spinach and another 2 to 2 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt. I use Morton’s brand salt; if using Diamond, you may need to add additional salt. Just taste the soup and adjust as needed. Cook the soup for 10 minutes, then add ¼ cup of roughly chopped fresh parsley. Cook the soup for another 5-10 minutes or until the pasta is soft and the flavors have come together. Serve this soup with a hunk of garlic bread and enjoy!
This recipe makes a large batch of soup, enough for 10 servings. Serve it to a crowd or freeze the leftovers. Note: this soup may thicken over time. If too thick for your taste, simply add a bit of water to the soup when reheating the leftovers.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium to large zucchini, chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus 2 teaspoons (divided)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 6 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1, 28 ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 32 fl oz vegetable stock
- 1, 15 ounce can of "no salt added" kidney beans (undrained)
- 1 cup annelini pasta
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion, carrot and zucchini along with one teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil and red pepper flakes and cook for one minute longer.
- Next, stir in the tomato past and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add a can of undrained kidney beans to the soup and cook for 10 minutes. Next, add the anellini pasta and spinach. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring on occasion to make sure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Add ¼ cup of roughly chopped parsley and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt (or more depending on taste and the brand of salt using). Cook the soup for 5-10 minutes longer or until the pasta is tender.
- Serve this soup with garlic bread and enjoy.
- This recipe makes a lot of soup; 10 servings or so. Make this recipe for a crowd, or freeze the leftovers. This soup may thicken over time. If too thick for your taste, simply add a bit of water to the soup when reheating the leftovers.
