Soup weather! You know what I’m talking about. The kind of weather that you can’t wait to get in your jammies and call it a day. Well, our last rainy day called for minestrone soup. It takes a little time to prepare but then you will have plenty of time to be lazy. Serve it with warm, garlic bread to complete the goodness. Feel free to experiment with veggies and noodles. Stay dry and warm! -Amanda
Minestrone Soup
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta or thick-cut prosciutto, finely chopped
1 lb. zucchini, cut into strips lengthwise, then cut into small pieces
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
32 ounces (4 cups) chicken stock
16 ounces (2 cups) chicken broth
15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
15 ounce can tomato puree
1/4 lb. whole wheat penne or other short-cut pasta
Handful basil, torn into pieces
About 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano
In a soup pot, heat the EVOO, over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until browned, a couple of minutes. Add the zucchini, celery, onion, bay leaves and 2 cloves garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
Stir the chicken stock and broth, beans and tomatoes into the soup and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Stir in the basil and lower the heat to low.
Serve soup in bowls and top with parmigiano cheese. Add warm, garlic bread to complete the meal. This soup is thick and full of stuff. Feel free to add a little more chicken broth to thin out the soup.
