This recipe comes from my “The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen” cookbook by Donna Klein. We had a lot of veggies in the fridge this week, including zucchini, so I decided we couldn’t go wrong with a nice pot of veggie soup. I also used bok choy instead of spinach because I had that on hand. Tuscan-Style Minestrone gives a little extra flavor to the traditional pot of vegetable soup. Feel free to double the recipe if your family is willing to have soup again a day or two later. Our family actually enjoys the soup even more the second day because the flavors really blend together overnight. Since you can use canned beans for this recipe (remember this is a “quick” version of the traditional minestrone soup), I buy Eden Organic canned beans because their cans do not contain BPA. Also, in the cooking process, I add the beans along with the pasta so that the beans get a chance to really blend with the other flavors. Bon apetito!
QUICK TUSCAN-STYLE MINESTRONE SOUP
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 ounces (about 2 small) carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup ditalini or other small pasta (I often use orzo)
1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes, juices included (I put in a 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes)
2 cups cooked cannellini beans or 1 can canellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1-1/2 cups cooked red kidney beans or 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
In a medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, thyme, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer briskly for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is almost cooked al dente.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the beans and spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted, the beans are heated through, and the pasta is tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Advance Preparation The soup can be held, covered, over very low heat for one hour before serving; decrease the pasta’s cooking time by a few minutes. The soup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for two days, but the pasta will become a bit soggy. You will probably need to add more broth or water. Reheat over low heat. If you like, cook the pasta separately and add it shortly before serving.
