Italian Vegetable Soup
- Yield 8 servings
This minestrone-style soup -- hearty, healthy, satisfying and loaded with veggies and pasta -- makes a delicious one-pot meal.
Holly Clegg
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
- 1 cup small zucchini chunks
- 2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup peeled carrots, cut in small chunks or baby carrots
- 6 cups fat-free chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 -- (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 -- (15-ounce) can white navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup small penne pasta
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
- -- Salt and pepper to taste
- -- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a nonstick pot coated with nonstick spray, heat olive oil and sauté green pepper, onion, and celery, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, prosciutto, garlic and carrots; continue to sauté another 3-5 minutes or until tender.
- Add broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring to boil. Add pasta and continue to cook 6-8 minutes or until pasta is tender. Add basil and spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted. Season to taste. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes about 8 cups.
Tip: When reheating, add more broth if too thick. For a vegetarian option, omit prosciutto and use vegetable broth.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Holly Clegg’s Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age.
