Best Contest Winning Easy Minestrone Recipe Taste Of Home Recipes

MINESTRONE

Minestrone image

Vegetables and herbs fresh from my garden make this one of our favorite soups. This recipe makes a lot, so it's perfect for large gatherings or to freeze in smaller containers for fast meals.-Virginia Bauer, Botkins, Ohio

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner Lunch

Time 1h50m

Yield 20 servings (5 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups beef broth
2 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
2 teaspoons dried basil or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1-1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup cut fresh green beans
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked ditalini or 4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

In a stockpot, saute the onions, celery and parsley in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. , In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir into soup along with the zucchini, beans and pasta. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Top each serving with cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 209 calories, Fat 9g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 26mg cholesterol, Sodium 538mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 14g protein.

PASTA FAGIOLI SOUP

Pasta Fagioli Soup image

My husband enjoys my version of this dish so much that he doesn't order it at restaurants anymore. With fresh spinach, pasta and seasoned sausage, this fast-to-fix soup is a meal on its own. -Brenda Thomas, Springfield, Missouri

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 5 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed, crumbled
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups water
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, cut as desired
5 teaspoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps:

In a large saucepan, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain, remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. , Add the water, beans, tomatoes, broth, macaroni and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until macaroni is tender, 8-10 minutes. , Reduce heat to low; stir in sausage and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, 2-3 minutes. Garnish with cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 228 calories, Fat 7g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 29mg cholesterol, Sodium 841mg sodium, Carbohydrate 27g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 6g fiber), Protein 16g protein. Diabetic Exchanges