Garden Minestrone Soup
This garden minestrone soup is hearty, packed with veggies, and warming on a chilly soon-to-be-fall day. Family approved!
Equipment
- A soup pot
Ingredients
Veggies
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1-2 celery sticks, diced
- 1 medium-sized zucchini, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 28-oz water
- handful of your favorite greens (kale, spinach, collard greens), torn
- optional: green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, any seasonal veggies
- 1 tbsp tomato paste, optional
Flavorings
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- salt, chili flakes, black pepper, to taste
Fat
- 1 tsp grapeseed oil, or a spray of oil
Proteins
- Your choice, such as chickpeas, cannellini, bean pasta, etc.
Instructions
First, sauté the aromatics
- You want to bring out the natural sweetness of the veggies first before adding in any liquid. Bring a heavy soup pot (I love enameld cast iron like this one) over high heat. Add in 1 tsp oil, if using, or a spray. Next, add in the onion, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about a minute, then lower the heat. Let it change to a nice golden color just a little bit, but stir it often so it doesn’t burn. Add in the carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute for another 3-5 minutes until they show a little color change and get very aromatic.
Next add in the extra veggies
- Add in the zucchini, red pepper, tomatoes, water, and oregano, and bring to a simmer. Partially cover, and cook simmering for about 20 minutes, or until the veggies are the desired texture to your taste.
Wilt the greens
- At the end, turn off the heat and throw in the greens to let them wilt and get vibrant green.
Protein/Grain
- When serving, feel free to add in your favorite protein and/or grain, if using (see options in the ingredient list above).
To finish
- Lastly, season with salt, pepper, and finish with chili flakes.