Vegetarian Minestrone Soup

This minestrone soup recipe is loaded with vegetables, beans, and pasta in a delicious tomato broth. This classic soup is nourishing, easy to make, and makes amazing leftovers!

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled & sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 cups veggie broth
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
1 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained
1/2 t Italian seasoning
3/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh basil, optional, to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste

Instructions:
Add the oil, butter, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to a large soup pot. Sauté on medium, for 7-10 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, zucchini, green beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, and Italian seasoning. Increase the heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat so it’s simmering, and cover the pot, with the lid slightly open, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the pasta. Continue simmering the soup (I leave the lid off) for another 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta and veggies are tender. Stir occasionally, to stop the pasta from sticking to the bottom. Before serving, season to taste with salt & pepper (I am generous with both), stir in the basil (if using), and serve each bowl with some parmesan cheese grated/shaved over top. This minestrone is fairly thick. If you find it too thick, add a splash more broth to thin it out (especially leftovers).

Substitutions and variations:
– If you want to add a non-vegetarian twist to this soup, try sautéing some bacon or pancetta with the veggies at the beginning. It’ll be incredible!
– You could include other vegetables like cabbage or peas. Feel free to add/swap veggies based on personal preference, what’s in season, and what’s in your fridge.
– If you want it to be extra hearty, go ahead and throw in a potato as well.
– You can swap the crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes, but I like the thickness and body that the crushed tomatoes give to the soup. If going the more traditional route and using diced tomatoes, I would probably add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the soup as well at the end of step 1.

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