Not Your Ordinary Minestrone Soup!

Name: Not Your Ordinary Minestrone Soup!
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 44.37 ml olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 onions, chopped; 473.18 ml chopped celery; 5 carrots, sliced; 473.18 ml chicken broth (low sodium if available); 473.18 ml water or 473.18 ml vegetable stock; 946.36 ml tomato sauce; 118.29 ml red wine (optional); 236.59 ml canned kidney beans, drained; 425.24 g can green beans (I use fresh green beans); 473.18 ml Baby Spinach, rinsed; 3 zucchini, quartered and sliced; 14.79 ml chopped fresh oregano; 29.58 ml chopped fresh basil; 14.79-29.58 ml tomato paste; 14.79 ml sugar (if you are using fresh tomato); salt and pepper; 118.29 ml shell pasta; 29.58 ml grated parmesan cheese, for topping; 14.79 ml olive oil

Submitted by kittycatmom

"I found this recipe I think in the local Sioux Falls newspaper.... it is so good! Not full of salt and plenty of veggies! (For an even fresher taste, I like to use 4 cups of pureed fresh seeded roma tomatoes)"

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photo by PaulaG

Ready In:: 1hr 25mins
Ingredients:: 21
Serves:: 8

ingredients

44.37 ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, chopped
473.18 ml chopped celery
5 carrots, sliced
473.18 ml chicken broth (low sodium if available)
473.18 ml water or 473.18 ml vegetable stock
946.36 ml tomato sauce
118.29 ml red wine (optional)
236.59 ml canned kidney beans, drained
425.24 g can green beans (I use fresh green beans)
473.18 ml Baby Spinach, rinsed
3 zucchini, quartered and sliced
14.79 ml chopped fresh oregano
29.58 ml chopped fresh basil
14.79-29.58 ml tomato paste
14.79 ml sugar (if you are using fresh tomato)
salt and pepper
118.29 ml shell pasta
29.58 ml grated parmesan cheese, for topping
14.79 ml olive oil

directions

In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Spray with olive oil and serve.

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Reviews

Fabulously delicious soup. I used all chicken broth and did not add the oil at the end, but everything else was true to the recipe. I like adding the cooked pasta to each serving--keeps the pasta from soaking up all the broth. Fresh herbs were a plus. Thanks for posting.

ratherbeswimmin
This was delightful and delicious, although I did not follow the recipe exactly. I only used 1 large zucchini, as my pot was beginning to get too full. Rather than cooking the pasta separately, I added it dry to the soup during the last 15 minutes of simmering. Then, at the very end, I added the parmesan and stirred it in until dissolved. I did not use the olive oil at the end. We really enjoyed the garden-fresh flavors of this soup. Made for Kittencal's Fall Mini Cook-a-Thon.

JackieOhNo!
I made this a day ahead and chilled it to blend the flavors, I did do a few amount adjustments and omitted the zucchini, I only use zucchini from my garden it's just to expensive to buy right now, also I used dried oregano and basil, I omitted the olive oil at the end, this was included in a take-home pack for my DS and was thoroughly enjoyed, thanks Kitty!

Kittencalrecipezazz
The soup is packed with lots and lots of delicious vegetables. The recipe was reduced by half and a whole can of kidney beans was used with the green beans being omitted. The soup was cooked for about 25 minutes then the pasta and squash were added and cooked until the pasta was tender. The vegetables retained their texture with a slight crispness. This was served with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

PaulaG
Delicious! I made a few veggie substitions, based on what I had on hand- green pepper instead of celery and broccoli instead of zucchini. I also used multigrain pasta (and less of them, as I wanted the focus on the veggies). I also added the pasta directly to the pot with the kidney beans for the simmering period, while holding out the fresh green beans and broccoli. I prefer those veggies crisp, so I added them just a few minutes before serving, so that they had a lightly-steamed texture. Thanks for a keeper!

Starrynews

Tweaks

Delicious! I made a few veggie substitions, based on what I had on hand- green pepper instead of celery and broccoli instead of zucchini. I also used multigrain pasta (and less of them, as I wanted the focus on the veggies). I also added the pasta directly to the pot with the kidney beans for the simmering period, while holding out the fresh green beans and broccoli. I prefer those veggies crisp, so I added them just a few minutes before serving, so that they had a lightly-steamed texture. Thanks for a keeper!

Starrynews