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Fall usually means it’s time to pull out our soup and stew recipes, which usually means we’re working with our slow cooker. But in the hustle and bustle of the week, we often don’t have time for slow cooker prep work, and as much as we love our slow cooker, a quick soup on the stovetop is a great solution to a weeknight meal. Our minestrone soup is a great way to use up all the leftover vegetables in the fridge and get a delicious meal on the table in 30 minutes. But also, the flavor. Is there anything better than a hearty, veggie-packed soup that’s both delicious and nutritious? We put all sorts of great stuff in this soup, like zucchini, carrots, and two colors of bell pepper. It’s like a rainbow in a bowl!
We like to top this soup with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and serve it with a slice of hearty bread. It’s the perfect mid-week dinner because it comes together so quickly, and it’s very flexible – we will use navy beans if we’re out of red kidney beans or celery if we don’t have carrots. When we need a weeknight meal that will warm us up on those chilly fall nights, we look no further than this belly-warming, hearty and colorful minestrone soup.
Autumn Minestrone Soup
Yield(s): Serves 6-8
30 minutes
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chipped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 (14-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and carrots for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots are soft. Add bell peppers, zucchini and beans, and sauté until veggies are soft. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Add basil and thyme to pot, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes until soup is just thickened. Optional: to serve, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Recipe adapted from Two Peas And Their Pod