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Comforting Minestrone Soup

VegetarianItalianStove-Top

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield: 10 servings

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About

Ahhhh now this is what relaxation tastes like! Comforting Minestrone Soup is the warm hug of the soup world — fluffy orzo, lots (and we do mean lots) of creamy, hearty, savory beans, a fragrant and rich broth with notes of tomato and vinegar tang! You'll be feeling the happiness after a bowl of Comforting Minestrone Soup! Take comfort in a good meal!

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup yellow onions, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced or diced
  • 1 cup celery, sliced or diced
  • 1 cup zucchini, sliced or diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 1/3 cups orzo pasta
  • 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • parmesan cheese, optional, to taste, shredded, for serving
  • fresh thyme sprigs, optional, to taste, for serving

Directions

Step 1 -In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil.

Step 2 -Add the onions, the carrots, the celery, the zucchini, the garlic, the Italian seasoning, the salt, the black pepper, and the dried thyme to the hot oil and cook, while stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and release some of their juices, about 6-7 minutes.

Step 3 -Add the broth, the water, the red wine vinegar, the bay leaf, kidney beans, the butter beans, the green beans, the diced tomatoes and their juices, and the tomato paste to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine.

Step 4 -Bring the soup mixture to a boil.

Step 5 -Add the orzo to the soup mixture and cover the pot.

Step 6 -Simmer the soup mixture until the orzo is tender, about 35 minutes.

Step 7 -Add the spinach to the soup mixture, while stirring to combine, until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.

Step 8 -Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Step 9 -Serve topped with the parmesan cheese and the fresh thyme.

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