It’s snowing out West and up North today and we’re having hurricane like storms down in the southeast east. So wherever you are, it’s a good day to stay in (especially since Corona is still in full force #stayhome #staysafe).
So, I decided to make a yummy soup with some of our long-lasting fridge veggies (aka celery, carrots and onions) and the rest came from the pantry. And I’m so glad I did. Even though I typically make any food I can in the Instant Pot, I wanted to warm the house with enchanting soup smells. So, I cooked this on the stovetop and I’m glad I did. It smells like an Italian grandma’s kitchen, which is obviously an amazing smell. It’s so so good.
A few tips – if you have a parmesan rind, add it in. It really does help the taste. I don’t have one right now, so I omitted it. Just add a little more salt into the soup to compensate. If you don’t have spinach, add in any green you do have (fresh or frozen). If you have some ground meat or meatballs hanging around that need to be repurposed, this would be a great soup to throw it in to. The soup is a great basic soup for warming your home and your belly!
(Side note – this recipe originally comes from Skinnytaste, but since so many of the ingredients are fresh, I wanted to change it a bit to be a bit more Corona Quarrantine friendly. If you’re looking for IP or Crockpot versions, the directions can be found here).
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can white beans, drained, rinsed (I used Great Northern beans)
- 32-oz container reduced sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth for vegetarians
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves (optional – I never think these add that much to a dish, so no worries if you don’t have any)
- 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt and fresh black pepper
- 2 cups chopped fresh, or frozen, defrosted spinach
- 2 cups cooked small pasta (any kind), al dente
- parmesan cheese for garnish, (optional, if you have any – leave out if DF)
Directions
- Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
- Add the remaining broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on low 40 minutes.
- Add the spinach and mix until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls with 1/4 cup pasta in each and top with extra parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Adapted from: skinnytaste.com
Season Generously 