Minestrone Soup is a Wholesome dish that consists of beans as a source of protein, vegetables as a source of vitamins and fibers, and Pasta as a source of carbohydrates. The major ingredient of the soup is Tomato, which makes the soup rich in vitamin C and a source of Lycopene- an anti-oxidant. This is one of my favorite one-pot meals. This soup is flavored with Italian spices that are easily available in the pantry. This soup takes only a few minutes of preparation and a few minutes of cooking. You can serve it with Sourdough or Italian bread, or you can have it as it is.
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Tomato Puree | 2 Cups |
| Cherry tomatoes | 1 Cup |
| Carrots- cut into cubes | 1 Cup |
| Zucchini-cut into cubes | 1 Cup |
| Onions-cut into cubes | ½ Cup |
| French beans- cut into cubes | 1 Cup |
| White kidney beans(canned) | 1 Cup |
| Red Kidney beans (canned) | 1 Cup |
| Baby Spinach | 1 Cup |
| Shell Pasta | 1 Cup |
| Basil leaves | 3-4 |
| Italian seasoning | 1 tbsp |
| Garlic Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Black Pepper Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tbsp |
| Chilli flakes | ½ tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 1tbsp |
| Water | 3 ½ Cups |
Recipe:
- Heat a pan and add a tablespoon of olive oil
- Add onions and cook for about 30 seconds
- Add carrots and saute well
- Add 3 ½ cups of water
- Cover the pan and let the water boil
- Once the water starts boiling, add pasta, zucchini, beans, tomato puree, dry spices and salt
- Stir well and add cherry tomatoes. You can replace cherry tomatoes by adding roughly chopped tomatoes
- Cover and cook till the pasta and vegetables are cooked
- Add the beans, baby spinach and and basil leaves. I have used canned beans. If you are using soaked beans, cook them separately before using in soup. You can use the beans of your choice
- Stir everything well and the soup is ready to serve
Tips:
- Add spinach leaves just before serving the soup
- Do not cook the soup after adding spinach leaves or else the spinach leaves will lose their color and nutritional values
- You can replace the tomato puree with a cup of readymade red pasta sauce.
- If you are adding pasta sauce, add salt and Italian seasoning accordingly.
Serving suggestion
- Serve minestrone soup with garlic bread or any freshly baked bread
And It's Vegan Too! 