Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Cold Weather Warmers: Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup

This Easy Homemade Minestrone 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.  The perfect to warm yourself on a cold night! 




EASY HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP




I thought it was time to update my Homemade Minestrone Soup recipe from 2019 with new pictures since this soup is a staple during the cold months.

It's getting really cold outside and to me that mean "soup season" is here. This Minestrone soup is an Italian classic that is easy to put together and the taste can't be beat. You will need about 1 hour to make this soup so plan accordingly. Perfect to make on a Sunday with some crusty bread and a hearty salad.

Enjoy!




Want some other great soups?   Try Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup and Italian Chicken and Bean Soup and Cheesy Potato SoupThey are all delicious and guaranteed to drive away the cold!  


What Ingredients do I need?

  • olive oil
  • onion
  • carrots
  • celery
  • zucchini
  • yellow squash
  • garlic
  • low-sodium chicken broth - pick a good broth that you like
  • dried oregano
  • dried thyme
  • red pepper flakes
  • bay leaves
  • diced tomatoes, 28 oz can 
  • canned Cannellini beans
  • canned red Kidney beans
  • fresh baby spinach
  • Ditalini pasta




Kitchen Tips and Notes

  • The secret to a good soup is a good broth, and allowing the flavors to meld together to develop a rich taste.  Don't skimp on the broth!
  • Make sure to allow the soup to simmer 20-30 minutes to develop a rich flavor.
  • If you want to keep the soup you might want to cook the pasta separately and adding it at the time of serving.  Pasta tends to absorb the liquid of the soup if you store it in the refrigerator for a few days.
  • If you are going to freeze the soup I would leave the pasta out and add it when serving.  The pasta will become bloated and loose it's integrity when frozen in soup.



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Easy 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.










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