This recipe is a two-pot
wonder (or you could use one pot for the noodles and then use the same pot for
the soup). The recipe yields several bowls of leftovers and the soup tasted
just as satisfying a couple of days later.
Here's the
recipe.
Winter
Minestrone
Ingredients
1 ½ cups dried
small pasta shells
2-3 tablespoons
olive oil
1 medium onion,
diced
1 container
mirepoix (or 1/2 cup each of diced carrot, onion, and celery)
2 tablespoons
minced garlic
6 cups vegetable
broth (1 ½ boxes - keep the remaining half box to thin out if needed)
1 14-oz can diced
tomatoes
1 6-oz can tomato
paste
1 14-oz can
chickpeas, drained
1 14-oz can
kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon
dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons
crushed red pepper flakes
2 small zucchini,
chopped
1 cup chopped
fresh basil leaves, packed
Salt and pepper
to taste
Method
Bring a large pot
of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta into a colander, running cold water over the pasta to stop the
cooking. Drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
While the pasta
cooks, coat the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil. Over medium-high
heat once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and mirepoix and sweat for about
five minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer.
Stir in the
broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, chickpeas, kidney beans, oregano, and red pepper
flakes. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat
and simmer for about 15 minutes. Then, add the zucchini and cook for another 7
or so minutes.
Stir in the basil
and pasta. Season with salt and pepper and add the remaining 1/2 box of
vegetable stock if the soup isn't brothy enough.
Ladle into bowls
and enjoy.
