How to Cook Minestrone

Minestrone is a thick soup made with different vegetables with the addition of pasta. This soup is my favorite appetizer and the only soup that I order whenever I dine-in at Olive Garden. I enjoy this soup because of its nice light sour flavor and its visual appeal. Aside from that, this can be considered as a healthy dish because of its different vegetables ingredients.

I always feel that I am eating my way to good health after finishing this soup. Have you experienced the feeling of being satisfied or full but everything seems to feel so light?

Try this Minestrone recipe and let me know your thoughts.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup small shell pasta (cooked)

1 medium Spanish onion, minced

3/4 cup red wine

1/2 cup zucchini, chopped

2 celery stalks, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups vegetable broth

4 ounces chopped green beans, canned

12 ounces red kidney beans, drained

12 to 14 ounces diced tomatoes, canned

1/2 cup carrot, minced

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 cups fresh baby spinach

3 tablespoons olive oil

Procedure:

1. Heat a casserole or cooking pot then pour-in olive oil.

2. Sauté garlic, onion, celery, and zucchini for 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Pour-in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and let boil.

4. Add red wine, salt, and ground black pepper.

5. Put-in the kidney beans, green beans, carrots, parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme then simmer in medium heat for 15 minutes.

6. Add the cooked small shell pasta and spinach and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

7. Turn off heat then transfer to a serving bowl.

8. Serve with bread sticks. Share and enjoy!