LENA'S MINESTRONE

Lena's Minestrone image

Minestrone means 'big soup' in Italian, and this soup is sure to satisfy even the biggest of appetites. Served with a crisp loaf of bread, it's a meal in itself! Garnish with grated Romano cheese.

Provided by Allrecipes Member

Yield 11

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
¾ cup tomato paste
2 ½ quarts water
1 ½ cups seashell pasta
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

In a large pot ombine the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, beans, tomato paste and water. Cook over medium heat until all the vegetables are tender.
Transfer soup to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Return soup to pot and stir in pasta. If desired add additional water to thin soup. Stir in the oregano and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat unitl pasta is al dente. Serve hot topped with freshly grated Romano.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 215.1 calories, Carbohydrate 46.1 g, Fat 0.8 g, Fiber 7.7 g, Protein 7.8 g, SaturatedFat 0.2 g, Sodium 276.9 mg, Sugar 6.1 g