SourdoughNative: Minestrone Soup

Well dang. That's what we get living in North Iowa.

Today I was supposed to take my two girls to a semi-annual dental appointment.

Didn't happen...North Iowa weather did. School was canceled before 6am. Blizzard warnings. It snowed and the winds kicked up to 40mph. So....good thing I had already planned to take the whole day off.

Bonus!! I had already planned to sleep in and now the whole day we are pretty much house bound.

Perfect opportunity to make a BIG pot of soup.

Minestrone, here we come.

We all love it. I get to clean out my frig using all the veggies I have and we get a hot, hearty, delicious soup.

@Salted Nuts

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

1 large Onion-diced
2-3 carrots-diced
2 stalks celery-diced
3 cloves garlic-minced
1 yellow pepper-diced
1 red pepper-diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can tomato puree(I used my own-I froze from last summer)
2-3 small potatoes-diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 can green beans-drained
1 can kidney(red or white) beans-rinsed and drained
2 cups pasta
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat to medium 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, pour in all the vegetables and stir and saute for 8-10 minutes until softened.
Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Add in basil and oregano, potatoes and beans and simmer another 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are almost tender. . S
Taste and add salt & pepper to taste.
Either cook pasta separately and set aside or simmer in soup (it makes for a much heartier soup and really thickens it-that's how my family likes it).
Otherwise, serve a portion of cooked pasta in a soup bowl and ladle the soup over it. Serve with Parmesan cheese grated on top and a good hearty bread like sourdough or french bread.

@Salted Nuts

YUM!!!

It's even better the next day!
Plus, use whatever you have in your frig or freezer or even canned. I would loved to have used kale, but I had used it all up. If you have zucchini or squash, add it. Sweet potatoes-perfect!
I used a whole grain noodle and you could use a gluten free rice noodle as well.
Are you vegetarian? Sub vegetable broth, add wine.
This recipe is so versatile, no wonder it began as a peasant food for the poor in early Italy. It enabled homes there to make a hearty, satisfying soup that sated everyone, even with the most meager ingredients.
Your family is getting all kinds of good fiber, filling and nutrient rich vegetables and using a whole grain pasta just amps up the fiber and vitamins.
This is a go to soup in our home and of course you can add meat if you choose, but it's totally unnecessary because you're getting all kinds of goodness from the veggies and beans. I sometimes add 2 cans of different beans also, like kidney and chick pea. This is so versatile and good and can be frozen to heat up at another time.
A real go-to meal.

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