SWISS CHARD AND CHICKPEA MINESTRONE

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Swiss Chard and Chickpea Minestrone image

This simple minestrone, packed with Swiss chard, does not require a lot of time on the stove.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories     dinner, easy, weekday, one pot, pastas, soups and stews, main course

Time 45m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut in small dice
1 celery stalk, cut in small dice
1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, cleaned thoroughly and sliced thin
Salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced
7 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves washed and cut crosswise in thin strips (chiffonade) (4 cups, tightly packed, chiffonade)
1/2 cup soup pasta, like elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about three minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the leek. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about three minutes. Add the garlic, stir for about a minute, and then stir in the water, tomato paste and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
  • Add the Swiss chard and the pasta to the soup, bring back to a simmer, and simmer another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Grind in some pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 162, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 6 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 817 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams

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