Minestrone Soup
2-16 oz cans kidney beans
1/2 - 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 zucchini, cut length-wise in half, then sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
4 boullion cubes - faux beef flavor (any other flavor would work fine)
6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
tomato paste, optional
In large non-stick pot, heat olive oil over high heat. When oil begins to smoke, add onion and reduce to medium heat, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes. When onions begin to turn translucent, add garlic and cook for about a minute longer. Add all of the remaining ingredients, return flame to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Wants soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are to the consistency you like. If you would like to thicken the soup, you may return soup to boiling and then mix in enough tomato paste, stirring constantly until desired thickness.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
I made this with a few changes based on what I had on hand at the time... I used about 3 cups of frozen lima beans in place of the kidney beans, and a few handsful of chopped fresh kale instead of spinach. I typically don't use bullion, but I always have compost broth, so I used 6 cups of that.
I found that the ingredients were kind of sparse, not like the chock-full minestrone I prefer, and I think it would have been even thinner had I used the 5 ounces of frozen spinach called for. This recipe would benefit from using more of the ingredients called for, and adding a few. So I threw in about 1 cup of cooked pasta and 1 1/2ish cups of chopped green cabbage...mmm, and more garlic.
MMMM! This recipe turned out great! i've made it twice and loved it! My whole family loved it though my grandma wished i had added noodles to make it more traditional. I was a little loose with the quantities, adding more zucc, onion and garlic than it called for. I also added the optional tomato paste and used regular vegetable boullion. i'll make this a few more times before winter is over. my mom kept the recipe too!
this was a great and easy soup to make and tastes amazing! i added a whole thing of spinach as well and it tasted great! thanks so much ;)b
Tasty, easy and it makes a ton for you to stick in the freezer. I added the whole 10oz package of spinach, and a few chopped stalks of celery.