I sooo wish I had taken pictures of the process with this soup! The ingredients are so colourful - perfect for brightening up this crazy snow day. Either way, I had to share it. My kids each asked for 3 servings, so I know it’s a winner.

In Italian, “minestrone” means a thick vegetable soup. I love my soups to be one bowl meals… so I try to pack everything in there. This version has evolved over the years, and I think I’ve found the perfect balance of vegetables, colour, flavour and heartiness.

There are no rules about what vegetables you use. I usually look in my fridge and if anything looks like it’s going to go off in the next day or two, in it goes! I do try to balance starchy (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots) and non-starchy vegetables though. I prefer the texture that way - hearty, but not heavy.

I use canned beans (I aim to balance nutrition with convenience!), but you could definitely use dried. And if kidney beans aren’t your thing, try lentils for a less noticeable texture, while still getting the benefit of all of the fibre, protein, iron, potassium and magnesium.

Adding the greens at the end keeps them from turning stringy and slimy (ick!), and keeps their colour bright.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

===========

Melinda Edmonds | Registered Dietitian

prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 45 minutes
total time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ cup tomato sauce (e.g. marinara)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 cup green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 large can (28 ounces) sodium-free diced tomatoes, with liquid
4 cups (900 mL) sodium-free vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
Pinch of cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole grain elbow pasta or quinoa
1 can sodium-free red kidney beans or cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
3 large handfuls baby greens (baby spinach, kale or arugula)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, tomato sauce and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Add the sweet potato, garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes, broth, water, salt, bay leaves and cayenne. Add black pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then partially cover the pot with a lid. Reduce heat to simmer.
Cook for 15 minutes, remove the lid and add the pasta or quinoa and green beans. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the pasta or quinoa is cooked.
Remove the pot from the heat, remove the bay leaves, and stir in baby greens. Taste and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan.

Minestrone Soup | Thrive Nutrition Coaching