Fresh Vegetable Minestrone Food

VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 11 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until vegetables are tender. , Stir in the green beans, spinach and pasta. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese.

VEGGIE-PACKED AUTUMN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink and just turning brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the celery, carrots and onions and saute until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the rosemary, tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, beans and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes.
• Add the sweet potatoes and zucchini and simmer until cooked al dente, about 10 minutes more.
• Place 1/2 cup of baby spinach at the bottom of each serving bowl and ladle on a portion of bubbling hot soup. The heat from the soup will wilt the spinach perfectly. Serve with some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

VEGETARIAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt, rosemary, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the broth, 2 cups water, the cannellini beans, tomatoes, zucchini and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the zucchini is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the collard greens and simmer until the greens are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orzo. Season with salt. Top with the shredded parmesan.
• Photograph Courtesy of Time Inc. Books/Alison Miksch.

QUICK MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Make the soup base: In a medium-size heavy soup pot, combine the oil and pancetta over medium-low heat to slowly render the fat and cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the onion or shallots, celery and carrot. Pulse until finely chopped. Add to pot with cooked pancetta and adjust heat so the vegetables soften and cook without browning, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the other vegetables: Stirring after each addition, add the kale or cabbage, celery, carrots, zucchini, beans and tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Add the stock and 1 cup water (or, if you prefer a soup that's not as thick, add additional stock to taste, up to 2 cups). Add the herb sprigs. Cover, raise the heat and bring to a full boil. Uncover, lower the heat to a bubbly simmer, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove the herb sprigs.
• Serve in bowls, drizzling a little olive oil and sprinkling a big pinch of cheese over each serving.

MINESTRONE VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot oil until onion is tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir chicken broth, tomato juice, diced tomatoes and their juice, spinach, zucchini, carrots, celery, cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Simmer soup for 45 minutes.
• Bring soup back to a full boil and stir in rotini pasta. Reduce heat to low and simmer until pasta is tender, 10 to 15 more minutes.

HEARTY VEGETARIAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots and celery; cook and stir until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in green beans, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper; cook for about 5 minutes. Add diced and crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth; bring to a boil. If it looks too thick, add a bit of water.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in kidney beans, cannellini beans, and macaroni; cook until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan-style cheese and fresh basil.

VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a soup pot or large Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and onions, and season with a bit of salt (about a half-teaspoon). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini, and potato. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• Add the water and remaining teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the dry pasta and Swiss chard to the soup and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Add chickpeas and green peas, and continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked to the "al dente" stage. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, if desired. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil. Serve immediately.

VEGETARIAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Place onion in saucepan with one tablespoon water and saute until clear.
• Add remaining water and vegetables and bring to the boil.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes.
• Add macaroni, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Place in large bowls, sprinkle with cheese, and serve with crusty bread.