February can go two ways. Either it is the cusp of Spring, or it's the tail end of Winter. This year it seems like Spring is on the verge where I live, but other areas of the country are still being buried in snow. Either way, it feels like soup weather to me!
This is a pretty simple and easy recipe I put together a few years ago. I had a bumper crop of zucchini and squash from the garden and needed a good use for them. I wanted a nice hearty soup, something that could be a meal by itself, and I remembered one of my favorite soups - the minestrone from the Olive Garden. With that in mind, I put together this recipe. It turned out great and quickly became a family favorite! It is perfect for warming you up on a cold day and is also a great use for veggies from the garden in Autumn. Every vegetable in the soup can be grown in a simple small backyard garden. The soup by itself is a balanced meal - lots of veggies, protein from the beans, whole grain from the pasta.
Measurements listed in this recipe aren't exact. I am an eyeballer - I tend to just put things together in amounts that look right and expect them to turn out well. I usually only measure when baking (and even then only if it is something delicate or a recipe I haven't tried before). This soup is very forgiving though, so feel free to experiment a little with recipe adjustments.
Plain text recipe follows the pictorial.
Step 1: Gather ingredients.
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons oregano
4 cups of broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Minced garlic, black pepper, oregano, and bouillon or equivalent broth. You will need to use vegetable bouillon/broth if you want a vegan soup, but chicken or beef will also work nicely.
For veggies you will need:
2-3 green zucchini
2-3 yellow squash
2 cups snap peas in pods
2 large carrots
2 cups raw baby spinach leaves
An onion would also be very good in this soup, but half my family hates onions so I left that out.
You will also need:
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can small red or white beans (or both, either way is good!)
1 box whole grain penne pasta
Step 2: Cut squash, zucchini, carrots, and peas into large bite sized pieces. Rinse spinach leaves and set them aside for later.
Step 3: In a large (LARGE! This recipe makes quite a lot and you don't want to make the same mistake I always make and use too small of a pot) soup pot, heat the vegetable oil. Add minced garlic, pepper, and oregano to the hot oil and allow to cook for about a minute.
Step 4: Add vegetables to the hot oil and spices in the pan and toss to coat well. Do NOT add the spinach at this step! The spinach will be added right at the end. Adding the spinach too soon makes it soggy. You want to save it for the end to retain the minerals and flavor.
Allow the vegetables to cook in the oil for about 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 5: Pour the prepared broth over the vegetables and add 2 cups of water. If you like your soup a little more thin, add another cup or two of water or broth. I like my soups thick, but Bean prefers a lot more broth. Like I said, this soup is very forgiving and adjust nicely to taste preference.
Allow the veggies and broth to simmer for about half an hour, stirring occasionally, until tender. After fifteen minutes add the diced tomatoes, beans, and tomato sauce. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions.
Step 6: When the pasta is ready and drained and the vegetables are tender, chop the spinach leaves and add to the soup pot with the pasta. Remove from heat and serve! The heat of the soup cooks the spinach leaves just enough without overcooking.
I usually serve this Minestrone with grated parmesan cheese and fresh baked bread with butter. The last time that I made it Brick requested meatballs on the side, and we discovered that meatballs are a tasty addition when mixed into the soup. He also usually adds hot sauce, and Bean likes hers with extra garlic.
Buon appetito!
Delicious and Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons oregano
4 cups of broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2-3 green zucchini
2-3 yellow squash
2 cups snap peas in pods
2 large carrots
2 cups raw baby spinach leaves
1 onion
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can small red or white beans, or both
1 box whole grain penne pasta
Cut squash, zucchini, carrots, and peas into large bite sized pieces. Rinse spinach leaves and set them aside for later.
In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil. Add minced garlic, pepper, and oregano to the hot oil and allow to cook for about a minute.
Add vegetables to the hot oil and spices in the pan and toss to coat well. Allow the vegetables to cook in the oil for about 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour the prepared broth over the vegetables and add 2 cups of water.
Allow the veggies and broth to simmer for about half an hour, stirring occasionally, until tender. After fifteen minutes add the diced tomatoes, beans, and tomato sauce. Cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions.
When the pasta is ready and drained and the vegetables are tender, chop the spinach leaves and add to the soup pot with the pasta. Remove from heat and serve hot.
