Recipe: Hearty Minestrone Soup by Jennah Jensen
A hearty minestrone soup is a great way to get a whole heap of vegetables into your children’s diet! This minestrone is made using a delicious tomato-based broth for the added benefit of lycopene - a powerful antioxidant prevalent in tomatoes (especially cooked tomatoes) making this recipe perfect for resilient immune systems and overall good health! This soup can be extremely versatile by adding or substituting any veggies you like! Make it extra fun by using alphabet or animal shaped pasta!
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 spears of celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
4 cups of water plus 4 heaping tablespoons “Better Than Bullion Vegetable Paste” - the green label!
3 red potatoes, diced into small bite sized pieces
2 28oz cans diced tomatoes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1-2 bay leaves (optional)
2 cups frozen green beans
1 can kidney beans
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped
1.5 cups cooked elbow or shell pasta (optional) - I recommend a high protein, gluten-free variation
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, minced
cracked black pepper to taste
COOKING METHOD:
I always recommend prepping all the ingredients first thing to ensure cohesive cooking. Dice veggies, drain and rinse beans, measure out water, etc.
Pre-heat a large soup pot to medium heat. Once heated, add garlic, diced onion, celery and carrots. Sir immediately and sauté for about 6-8 minutes or until veg mix is mostly cooked through and onions are translucent.
Once veg mix has sautéd add water, bullion paste, potatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaves. Bring to a low simmer, cover and let cook for at least 20 minutes however, 45 minutes to an hour is optimal for best flavor. Str occasionally.
While soup is simmering, cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, set aside and keep separate from soup. Add upon serving to prevent pasta from overcooking and falling apart.
Towards the last few minutes of cooking the soup add frozen green beans, kidney beans, kale and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
Lastly remove the bay leaves and add fresh parsley; reserving some parsley for garnishing if you like. Serve with pasta and enjoy!
* If you find that the contents of the soup absorb too much liquid, add more water and bullion and adjust flavors accordingly until you reach desired soup consistency!
Jennah Jensen is a vegan, blogger and recipe extraordinaire! You can follow along her adventures, find her recipes and be inspired by her musings here and follow along on Instagram @jennahjensen