Servings: 4 large servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups diced carrot
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup cut green beans
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 540 ml can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 bag organic brown rice noodles (e.g., elbow macaroni, ditalini, tiny shells, or bow ties)
- 2 cups chopped spinach
Instructions
- Sauté Base: In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic in a bit of oil until they're soft and translucent.
- Add Veggies: Throw in the carrots, celery, and green beans. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the veggies begin to soften and their colours brighten.
- Season: Mix in the Italian seasoning, oregano, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves, stirring for about 1 minute to let the flavours meld.
- Thicken: Add the tomato paste and nutritional yeast, stirring until the veggies are well-coated and the mixture is homogeneous.
- Combine Liquids and Beans: Pour in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and kidney beans. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer: Increase the heat to bring the soup to a simmer, then lower it to keep a gentle simmer. This blends the flavours together beautifully.
- Add Pasta: Toss in the brown rice noodles and simmer until they're al dente (check package instructions for timing) and the veggies are tender.
- Finish with Spinach: Right at the end, stir in the chopped spinach just until it wilts and turns a vibrant green. This keeps its flavour and nutrients intact.
- Serve: Discard the bay leaves, ladle the hot soup into bowls, and enjoy your nourishing minestrone soup!
Notes
- Keep in mind that minestrone soup is the ultimate "use-what-you've-got" dish. Don't hesitate to switch things up with the veggies – collard greens, Swiss chard, or kale can easily take the place of spinach, or you can throw in some extra ones like zucchini and mushrooms for a bit more variety.
- Looking to boost the nourishment factor? Swap out the vegetable broth for a homemade bone broth that can give your skin some extra love. It's all about making the soup your own with whatever you have in the pantry or fridge.