Minestrone Soup Recipe
Minestrone, or “big soup” is an excellent way to use garden fresh vegetables. I have made this several times and it always turns out delicious. The soup tastes even better the next day. Serve with Italian bread.
Ingredients
- 1 diced small zucchini (not peeled)
- 1 med red bell pepper, diced
- 1 med carrot, diced
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 cups peeled, diced tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked white beans
- 1 stalk celery, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 cup dried small pasta (seashell or ditalini)
- 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- black pepper, to taste
Directions
Saut� onion in soup pan in olive oil medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add celery, carrot, oregano, basil,
thyme, black pepper. Cover and cook on very low heat about 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
Add bell pepper, zucchini, water, beans, and tomato puree. Cover and
simmer for 1 hour.
Cook pasta separately and put in individual soup just before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.
Doug’s Notes:
Use fresh herbs, if available (twice the amount of dried). Try sprinkling grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese instead of parsley.
I have used one 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Use a name brand as tomatoes are the core of the soup.
Adding pasta to soup will cause it to absorb soup and get abnormally large and mushy. That is why it is best to add it to one's soup just before serving.
