Yum
Happy weekend everyone!
This insanely easy dish will make your jaw drop. It's that simple, and that GOOD! The secret to a good soup is a good broth, and allowing the flavors to meld and develop a rich taste. This soup is chock full of hearty vegetables and beans that are simmered in a chicken tomato broth and spiced just right with wonderful Italian herbs. I also added a little kick to the soup by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you don't want the heat then you can certainly leave it out.
Homemade Minestrone Soup
serves 6
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup Ditalini pasta
salt and pepper
Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining chicken broth, oregano, thyme, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, tomatoes, and drained beans. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes.
Add the spinach and the pasta. Cook for 10 minutes more until the pasta is al dente. Remove the bay leaves and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
I so enjoy my weekends lately. It's a time for much needed relaxation after a grueling week at work. We are seeing the first signs of spring here this weekend. The weather is actually starting to warm up during the day and the sun is shining nice and bright. But this is just a teaser of whats to come because they say there's rain in forecast again this week.
With all the cold weather and the rain I've been on a soup kick all winter. I've made some of my old standards like Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup and Italian Chicken and Bean Soup and Cheesy Potato Soup and I've made some mouthwatering new ones. So I going to bring you a couple of new soups to make before spring truly hits beginning with an Italian staple.
HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP
This insanely easy dish will make your jaw drop. It's that simple, and that GOOD! The secret to a good soup is a good broth, and allowing the flavors to meld and develop a rich taste. This soup is chock full of hearty vegetables and beans that are simmered in a chicken tomato broth and spiced just right with wonderful Italian herbs. I also added a little kick to the soup by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you don't want the heat then you can certainly leave it out.
What do I need to make this soup? A good sturdy dutch oven such as this one is a must. I just love mine and use it for so many soups and braised dishes. A good knife like this one really makes chopping vegetables easy. Wooden spoons such as these, make stirring a breeze. To round this out some wonderful soup bowls such as these hold a nice portion of soup and are pretty too!
This soup cooks in about 1 hours which is ideal for weeknights and weekends. We tend to cook them on Sundays after a day of running around. They are perfect with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice salad. This soup will is so tasty and filing it's sure to become a new favorite in your household.
Enjoy!
This soup cooks in about 1 hours which is ideal for weeknights and weekends. We tend to cook them on Sundays after a day of running around. They are perfect with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice salad. This soup will is so tasty and filing it's sure to become a new favorite in your household.
Enjoy!
Homemade Minestrone Soup
serves 6
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup Ditalini pasta
salt and pepper
Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining chicken broth, oregano, thyme, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, tomatoes, and drained beans. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes.
Add the spinach and the pasta. Cook for 10 minutes more until the pasta is al dente. Remove the bay leaves and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
