Minestrone Soup
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- 9 hours to soak the beans
- More effort
- Serves 12
Skip to ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely minced carrot
- 1 cup finely minced celery
- 1 cup finely minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (canned)
- 1/2 cup dry kidney beans
- 1/2 cup dry whole peas
- 1/2 cup dry white beans
- 1/4 cup pearl medium barley
- 3/4 cup sliced frozen krinkle cut carrots
- 3/4 cup sliced celery
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped bell pepper
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
- 1 cup Barilla ditalini shells (smallest you can get)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 2 tablespoons Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base
- 1 quart vegetable broth or stock
- 2 teaspoons salt
- pepper to taste
- 3 quarts of water
- fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Method
- STEP 1Dice or finely chop up the carrot, celery, and onion.
- STEP 2Sort, wash, and soak in cold water overnight the kidney beans, peas, and white beans.
- STEP 3Slightly undercook the ditalini, and place in ziplok bags without rinsing, store in refrigerator.
- STEP 4Saute together the garlic, then add the onion. When it is soft, add the finely minced carrot and celery in the butter until the vegetables are soft, but not brown. Do this slowly.
- STEP 5Add the well drained beans and the peas in with the water and the vegetable soup base. Cook the beginning of the soup slowly (gentle boil/simmer) until the beans are almost done, which could be about 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally.
- STEP 6Now, you can add the vegetable stock, the rest of the vegetables, canned (and drained) garbanzo beans, soy sauce and the herbs and spices.
- STEP 7When you're about 30 minutes from serving soup, add the barley.
- STEP 8Just before serving add ditalini (dipped in hot water & drained). Add vegetable stock if needed. Additional Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base may be added for more flavor.
- STEP 9Pour into serving bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.