Thick and Hearty Minestrone

· Prep Time: 15 minutes

· Cook Time: 60 minutes

· Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

· Yield: serves 8

·Category: Soup

·Method: Cooking

·Cuisine: Italian

Description

This hearty minestrone soup is thicker than most soup recipes. It’s filled with delicious colorful vegetables, plenty of spices, and a unique rich texture. You’ll make this minestrone soup recipe again and again!

Ingredients

· 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

· 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)

· 1 cup sliced or diced carrots (1–2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)

· 1 cup sliced or diced celery (2–3 stalks)

· 1 cup sliced or diced zucchini (about 1 small)

· 4 garlic cloves, minced

· a bunch of Italian seasoning (I used a generous Tablespoon)*

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

· 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

· 5–6 cups vegetable or chicken broth*

· 2 cups water

· 2–3 teaspoons red wine vinegar*

· 1 bay leaf

· 1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed*

· 1 (14 ounce) can butter beans, drained and rinsed*

· 1 (14 ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed*

· 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

· 1 (8 ounce) can tomato paste

· 1 and 1/3 cups uncooked rice or pasta*

· 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4 quart (or larger) pot or dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir and cook for 6-7 minutes as the vegetables soften up and let out some juices.

2. Add broth, water, red wine vinegar, bay leaf, all the beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then add uncooked rice or pasta. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove bay leaf.

3. Serve soup warm in homemade bread bowls (or regular bowls, of course!)

4. Keep leftovers in a large tupperware in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, simply pour into a pot over medium heat and cook until warm. Feel free to add more broth to the leftovers as it cooks if it is too thick– I always do. (It thickens in the refrigerator as the veggies and rice soak up the liquid.)

Notes

1. Make Ahead Instructions – Freezing: Soup freezes wonderfully! Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the day before eating, then reheat on the stove until warm.

2. Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use any combination of Italian spices that you like. Dried basil, rosemary, oregano, etc.

3. Broth: Anywhere between 5-6 cups of broth is great. I use 6. The rice or pasta soak up a lot of liquid. If you can make it low sodium even better!

4. Vinegar: The vinegar balances out all the flavor. A few splashes of a dry-ish red wine works too!

5. Beans: Play around with the beans you use. I loved the big giant butter beans, but feel free to use the more traditional cannellini beans instead. Or try chick peas!

6. Rice / Pasta: Use brown or white rice or any dry whole wheat pasta you like best.

7. Slow Cooker Instructions: Prepare the soup through step 1 on the stovetop. Transfer to a slow cooker, then add everything else except for the rice/pasta and spinach. Allow to cook for 2 hours on low, then add the rice/pasta and spinach. Cook on low for 1 more hour

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