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Dinner on the cheap and easy: MINESTRONE
12/16/2011 11:22:33 PM
This is a great way to use up leftovers and clear out the vegetable crisper.
There is no "set" recipe for minestrone ("big soup" in Italian) but here's how I made mine tonight:
Olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 28-oz. can all purpose crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
2-4 cups water
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup cut green beans (I used frozen)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup of dried pasta (I like Ditalini, small shells, or rotini)
grated Parmesan cheese
In a large soup pot or dutch oven gently sweat onions and garlic in some olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add celery and carrot and saute until soft.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, great northern and garbanzo beans potatoes and green beans. Add water to desired consistency. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for at least one hour or until vegetables are tender. Add Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Add a little extra water, if necessary and bring back to a low boil. Add paste and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender. Adjust seasonings.
Serve with a drizzling of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Again, there are no rules. sometimes I add chopped cabbage if I have it. Tonight, I added some sliced fresh zucchini.
Meat? Again, no rules. You want to add cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or even some little meatballs? go for it. Like wise cooked chicken or turkey. It's all good.
There is no "set" recipe for minestrone ("big soup" in Italian) but here's how I made mine tonight:
Olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 28-oz. can all purpose crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
2-4 cups water
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup cut green beans (I used frozen)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup of dried pasta (I like Ditalini, small shells, or rotini)
grated Parmesan cheese
In a large soup pot or dutch oven gently sweat onions and garlic in some olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add celery and carrot and saute until soft.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, great northern and garbanzo beans potatoes and green beans. Add water to desired consistency. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for at least one hour or until vegetables are tender. Add Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Add a little extra water, if necessary and bring back to a low boil. Add paste and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender. Adjust seasonings.
Serve with a drizzling of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Again, there are no rules. sometimes I add chopped cabbage if I have it. Tonight, I added some sliced fresh zucchini.
Meat? Again, no rules. You want to add cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or even some little meatballs? go for it. Like wise cooked chicken or turkey. It's all good.
12/17/2011 12:30:36 AM
Approximately 12 ingredients too many to qualify as "easy". Sounds good, though, how about some pics.
12/17/2011 2:07:29 AM
Progresso Minestrone +1, non-cooking man's solution
Although the real deal sounds even more T-riffic +2
Although the real deal sounds even more T-riffic +2
12/17/2011 11:28:27 AM
Originally Posted By ThePontificator:
This is a great way to use up leftovers and clear out the vegetable crisper.
There is no "set" recipe for minestrone ("big soup" in Italian) but here's how I made mine tonight:
Olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 28-oz. can all purpose crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
2-4 cups water
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup cut green beans (I used frozen)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup of dried pasta (I like Ditalini, small shells, or rotini)
grated Parmesan cheese
In a large soup pot or dutch oven gently sweat onions and garlic in some olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add celery and carrot and saute until soft.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, great northern and garbanzo beans potatoes and green beans. Add water to desired consistency. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for at least one hour or until vegetables are tender. Add Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Add a little extra water, if necessary and bring back to a low boil. Add paste and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender. Adjust seasonings.
Serve with a drizzling of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Again, there are no rules. sometimes I add chopped cabbage if I have it. Tonight, I added some sliced fresh zucchini.
Meat? Again, no rules. You want to add cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or even some little meatballs? go for it. Like wise cooked chicken or turkey. It's all good.
This is a great way to use up leftovers and clear out the vegetable crisper.
There is no "set" recipe for minestrone ("big soup" in Italian) but here's how I made mine tonight:
Olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 28-oz. can all purpose crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz. can great northern beans, drained
2 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
2-4 cups water
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup cut green beans (I used frozen)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup of dried pasta (I like Ditalini, small shells, or rotini)
grated Parmesan cheese
In a large soup pot or dutch oven gently sweat onions and garlic in some olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add celery and carrot and saute until soft.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, great northern and garbanzo beans potatoes and green beans. Add water to desired consistency. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for at least one hour or until vegetables are tender. Add Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Add a little extra water, if necessary and bring back to a low boil. Add paste and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender. Adjust seasonings.
Serve with a drizzling of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Again, there are no rules. sometimes I add chopped cabbage if I have it. Tonight, I added some sliced fresh zucchini.
Meat? Again, no rules. You want to add cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or even some little meatballs? go for it. Like wise cooked chicken or turkey. It's all good.
This looks perfect for dinner tonight.
I think I will try it (unless the troublemaker spouse has other plans
)
Thank you!!!!
12/17/2011 7:02:20 PM
This sounds great! I think I'll try this on Monday..
Thanks for posting...
Thanks for posting...
12/18/2011 12:21:48 AM
Soup-making like this is beyond easy and it's damn near impossible to screw it up.
It always tastes better the second day.
TIP: you may want to cook the pasta separately and add it to individual servings. This keeps it from blowing up like a sponge and sucking up all the broth.
Since I have hypertension I rarely add any salt. Between the low-sodium chicken broth and the canned tomatoes that's enough sodium for me. YMMV.
It always tastes better the second day.
TIP: you may want to cook the pasta separately and add it to individual servings. This keeps it from blowing up like a sponge and sucking up all the broth.
Since I have hypertension I rarely add any salt. Between the low-sodium chicken broth and the canned tomatoes that's enough sodium for me. YMMV.
12/18/2011 6:28:19 PM
Recipe worked well.
I, of course, modified it a bit.
I don't think I would add the pasta next time. It was perfect without and good with the pasta. I used medium shells. Maybe for me, the key would have been to use the small shells.
I, of course, modified it a bit.
I don't think I would add the pasta next time. It was perfect without and good with the pasta. I used medium shells. Maybe for me, the key would have been to use the small shells.
