Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

Soup makes a meal.  Especially this hearty Minestone soup that is loaded with veggies in a rich tomato broth.  Some of the vegetables I used were carrots, celery, a potato, kidney beans, and frozen green beans.   All vegetables the family will eat and I don't have picked out vegetables in napkins.  My family isn't very fond of tomatoes chunks, no matter how small, so I used a can of crushed tomatoes.    Instead of using pasta, I used some cooked rice in this soup.

I begin by cooking the carrots and celery in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil until they begin to soften.  I then add the minced garlic,  green beans along with some onion powder, crushed pepper flakes, a bay leaf,  some dried basil, salt, and pepper.  I cook about 3 minutes and then add the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth along with the diced potato.  I bring the soup to a boil and cook about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Next add the  kidney beans and rice and heat about 10 minutes.  Taste and re season, if necessary.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with some shredded Parmesan cheese.  Serve with a crusty bread to mop up the broth.  


Minestrone Soup
Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup sliced carrots
1 stalk celery diced
1 cup frozen green beans
4 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 (15 ounce) can red Kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked long grain white rice
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese shredded

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven.  Add the carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften - 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the green beans, minced garlic, bay leaf, onion powder, salt, dried basil, black pepper, and crushed pepper flakes.  Cook about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth.  Add the potatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the kidney beans and the rice.  Stir and heat another 10 minutes.
5. Taste the soup and re season if necessary.  Ladle into bowls and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings

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