I love this Minestrone Soup recipe because:
- * It's an easy 1 pot meal that is chalked FULL of veggies!
- * My kids gobble it up every time I make it & love to take it to school in their thermoses.
- * I can use all kind of scraps or leftovers and no one knows the difference!
- * It's incredibly flexible. I've made it so many times without half of these ingredients. It's a pretty forgiving recipe!
I usually serve this up with whole wheat macaroni noodles. But I cook those separately and add them to people's bowls not to the soup mixture itself. The noodles get too soggy if added directly to the soup, especially the next day. This recipe can me made in a crock pot as well. Just ignore all the directions, throw everything into the crock pot and cook until the veggies are soft (about 6 hrs).
Smith Family's Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe
Yield - 1 large pot full of soup! Feeds 2 adults and 3 kids for dinner and lunch the next day!
Ingredients:
- 3 TBS Olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 Zucchini, chopped
- 2 summer squash, chopped
- 2-3 carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cabbage, chopped
- 1 TBS Oregano
- 1 Tsp. Parsley
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 TBS fresh basil, chopped
- Sprinkle of Rosemary
- 2 Cups Tomato Sauce - I also like to use leftover Spaghetti sauce
- 2 cups diced tomatoes - I've used both fresh and canned depending on the season
- 2 Cups of cooked white beans.
- Other fun optional ingredients include: Edemame, Green beans, Spinach, Chard... etc
Directions:
- In a large pot - Saute Onions, garlic and peppers in olive oil on Med. heat until soft.
- Add vegetable broth, zucchini, squash, carrots, cabbage, (other veggies you want to include) & seasonings. Bring to low boil for 15 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, and white beans.
- Continue to boil everything until veggies are soft, warm and ready to serve!
