I created this minestrone soup after becoming tired of the excess salt and lack of veggies in canned ones. I based this recipe off of the delicious, vegetable-rich minestrone served at Sheepherder's Inn in Sacramento, California. Serve with hearty bread, romaine salad, and a nice merlot.
Ingredients
- olive oil: 3 Tbsp
- garlic: 3 clove (chopped)
- onions: 2 piece (chopped)
- celery: 2 cups (chopped)
- carrots: 5 piece (sliced)
- tomato sauce: 4 cups
- chicken broth: 2 cups
- water: 2 cups
- red wine: 0.5 cup (optional)
- zucchinis, quartered and: 3 piece (sliced)
- baby spinach, rinsed: 2 cups
- or frozen green beans: 2 cups (cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces, fresh)
- canned kidney beans: 1 cup (drained)
- fresh basil: 2 Tbsp (chopped)
- fresh oregano: 1 Tbsp (chopped)
- salt and pepper: (to taste)
- seashell pasta: 0.5 cup
- Parmesan cheese: 2 Tbsp (for topping, grated)
- olive oil: 1 Tbsp
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Gather the ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic in hot oil until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Add celery and carrots; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Pour in tomato sauce, broth, and water; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add red wine; reduce heat to low. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Stir in zucchinis, spinach, green beans, kidney beans, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer until soup is heated through, 30 to 40 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Cook seashell pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil to serve.
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Drizzle with olive oil to serve. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
