Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is a versatile, hearty, wholesome soup for weekday meals. Use vegetables, beans and pasta or rice you have on hand to prepare this delicious soup!

Course Main Course, Starter

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories

Ingredients

¼ cup Pasta (I used anellini gluten free pasta)
2 teaspoon Oil
¼ small Onion chopped
1 small Carrot cut into thick slices, about ⅛ cup
⅛ cup tender Celery slices
1 small Red Radish sliced
1 teaspoon Garlic chopped or crushed
1 small to medium Tomato diced or ½ cup diced Tomato (I used vine tomato)
⅛ teaspoon Dry Thyme or ½ – 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme (I used dry thyme)
⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
¼ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
¼ Tomato Puree (I used Pomi strained tomatoes)
½ cup Cannellini Beans (I used canned beans)
2 cups Stock (use 2 cups water + 2 cubes bouillon)
1 cup Spinach chopped & loosely packed

Instructions

Cook pasta following the instructions on the package. I used …. pasta and cooked it for 3 minutes though the instructions called for 4 minutes. Pasta is going to cook when simmering in soup.
Cut all the veggies and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. When hot add onion, celery, carrots, radish and garlic. Cook for a minute or two minutes.
Add tomato and cook until soft.
Add tomato puree, cannellini beans, thyme, pepper and salt. Mix and saute for few minutes.
Add stock or water and bring to boil. If using water, when it comes to boil add bouillon.
Boil until vegetables are almost cooked.
Add pasta, spinach and cook for 2-4 or until all the veggies and pasta is cooked. If the soup is very thick, add some stock and simmer for few minutes.
Serve hot with some toasted bread or as it is. I served with garlic cheese bruschetta. Soup can be garnish with some cheese.

Notes

Pasta – I used ¼ cup dry pasta and felt I could have used less pasta and added few more vegetables. Second, since I was serving soup with bruschetta, I felt less pasta in the soup would have been better.
Stock – I do not like canned or packaged stock. I either use homemade stock or water. Lately I am using Maggi Bouillon. I used two cubes.
Soup is on the milder sider and one can adjust spice level to taste.

Nutrition