Minestrone

Dreamer in Ontario's Note:

This is an excellent minestrone. I got the original recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook. The original recipe called for tomato sauce. I only had spaghetti sauce on hand and I think the end result is very good. The original recipe also called for zucchini and/or eggplant which my family doesn't care for so green beans were substituted. I reduced the amount of olive oil to make it lower in fat.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 5 garlic cloves, minced (use fresh garlic only)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• fresh black pepper
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 4 cups water (more if needed)
• 1 (650 ml) jar good spaghetti sauce (meat free)
• 1 cup chickpeas, cooked
• 1 cup dry pasta (any shape)
• 1/2 cup parsley, minced
• parmesan cheese (use soy cheese if vegan)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in nonstick Dutch oven.
2. Add onion, garlic and salt.
3. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Add celery, carrot, green beans and seasonings.
5. Cover and cook overy very low heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add bell pepper, water and spaghetti sauce.
7. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
8. Add beans and simmer another 5 minutes.
9. Bring to a gentle boil.
10. Add pasta.
11. Stir and cook until pasta is done.
12. Serve topped with parsley and parmesan.

Reviews

[Charmie777]

This was really good and easy. And very versatile too. I switched up the vegies to what I had on hand and it worked well!!! Made for Saucy Silverados and the ZWT 7 tour!

[mama smurf]

What an easy and delicious soup. I cut the recipe in half and subsituted zucchini for green beans (didn't have any) and used kidney beans for the garbonzo beans. Like everyone has said it was a great idea to use the spaghetti sauce in it. You could use any vegetables that you had on hand and still have a delicious soup. Made for Fall PAC 2011.

[ellie_]

Great and easy to make soup at the end of the day! I changed the recipe slightly based on what was in the house and I wanted to use the full can of chickpeas and also used more green beans but skipped the celery (however I used a bit of celery salt) and the bell pepper. I also skipped the parsley and the cheese. I love the idea of using spaghetti sauce!!! and will use that idea again in other recipes! Thanks for sharing!