Recipe: Loaded Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Summary: A plethora of vegetables commune in this classic, earthy vegetarian Italian soup, perfect for a fall dinner with a shower of grated Parmesan and fresh basil garnish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, washed and diced
- 1 large celery stalk, washed and diced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 large Idaho Russet potato, washed and diced, skin left on
- 1 bunch lacinato or Tuscan kale, washed, stems removed, and thinly sliced
- 1 (12.3-ounce) package Melissa’s Steamed Ready to Eat Six Bean Medley (or use a 15-ounce can of cannellini or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained)
- 3 tablespoons Bella Sun Luci Bruschetta with Italian Basil Sun Dried Tomato
- Garnish: Thinly sliced fresh basil, grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese, and red pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce for those who like things spicy
Instructions
- In a 6-quart pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, rosemary and a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute or so.
- Add tomatoes and their juices and cook, uncovered, until some of the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add water, potato, kale, beans and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes, adding the Bruschetta during the last 3 or so minutes.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper (don’t add too much salt because the Parmesan will be salty).
- Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and, if using, basil shreds. Pass the red pepper flakes for those who like a little spice.
- Serves 6.
Variations
- You may add fresh green beans, diced zucchini, winter squash or other vegetables you have on hand, to substitute for or add to the veggies in the soup.
- Add another cup of water or broth at the end of cooking if it is too stewy and not soupy enough for you.
Source
Adapted from Martha Stewart [1].
Six Bean Medley
[2]This is a handy product from Melissa’s Produce [3]. Steamed, ready-to-eat and refrigerated, this is a combo of cannellini, cranberry beans, white navy beans, red kidney beans, black beans, black eyed peas and seasonings. It’s versatile in any dish in which you might use beans, from a chili or soup to a stew or a burrito, and I find it practical to have on hand.
[4]Bella Sun Luci Bruschetta
This is a super fun jarred mixture that is great spread on toasted baguette slices, stirred into hot pasta, spread on a hot baked potato or stirred into soup, as I have done here. It adds a rich, complex tomato flavor and I love to have it on hand as an often-used condiment.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Diet type: Vegetarian
Number of servings (yield): 6
Culinary tradition: Italian
Bella Sun Luci [5] sent the Bruschetta and Melissa’s Produce [3] sent the beans for recipe testing. GigaSavvy sent the 6-quart pot for testing and review. Content and opinions are my own.