I wanted a minestrone soup recipe that I could make with staples I always have on hand. This has become a family favorite, so I always make enough to freeze.
Ingredients
- olive oil: 3 Tbsp
- garlic: 3 clove (chopped, to taste)
- onions: 2 piece (chopped)
- carrots: 5 piece (sliced)
- chicken broth: 4 cups
- tomatoes with garlic and oregano: 2 cans (15 ounce cans, diced)
- red wine: 0.5 cup (optional)
- frozen green beans: 1 pack (16 ounce pack)
- pinto beans: 1 can (15 ounce can, drained)
- frozen chopped spinach: 1 pack (10 ounce pack)
- fresh basil: 2 Tbsp (chopped)
- fresh oregano: 1 Tbsp (chopped)
- salt and pepper: (to taste)
- seashell pasta: 0.5 cup (to taste)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese: 0.25 cup (to taste)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add carrots and stir until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add red wine, reduce the heat to low, and stir in green beans, pinto beans, spinach, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook seashell pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta, then stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.
