Minestrone Soup

[Guest guest]

MINESTRONE SOUP

Source: McDougall Newsletter

 

This is our favorite vegetable soup. It makes a wonderful meal with a loaf

of fresh bread. It also reheats well and we like to have it for several

lunches during the week.

 

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Servings: 8

 

1 1/4 cups dried red kidney beans

8 cups water

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

6-8 fingerling potatoes, chunked

1/2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1½ inch pieces

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons basil

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 zucchini, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat elbows (or gf if necessary; quinoa, rice, or corn)

 

Place the beans in a large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, cook

for 2 minutes, turn off heat and let rest for 1 hour. (To eliminate this

step, soak beans overnight.) Drain off water. Add onion, garlic and 8 cups

of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 1 hour.

Add celery, carrot, potatoes, green beans, tomato sauce and all the

seasonings. Return to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes. Add the

garbanzo beans, canned tomatoes and zucchini. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Then add the cabbage and pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

 

Hints: I have many varieties of minestrone that I make throughout the fall

and winter months, but this one is our favorite. You may use any type of

uncooked pasta that you like, we also like spaghetti broken into 2 inch

pieces in this soup.