Italian Veggie Bean Soup
For me, there’s nothing more comforting than a big pot of soup simmering on the stove on a Sunday afternoon - especially when it’s BRRRRR cold out, which we’re currently experiencing in Charleston! I love knowing that I’ll have a quick, healthy and delicious lunch waiting for me throughout the week.
This is one of my go-to favorites - It’s basically an altered minestrone as I leave out the pasta (because really, it doesn't add much flavor and it cuts down on the carbs!) This soup is so easy to prepare and can be made with a variety of veggies that you’ve got lying around in the fridge. My only must haves are onion, carrots - and frozen green peas!
I’m not big on rules, hence I tend to make up my own recipes as I go along and when it comes to soup I never measure. So even if you’re one of those people that needs a clear recipe, I ask you to jump in and trust your senses and intuition when making this soulful soup!
Start with chopped onion, carrots (peeled) and whatever veggies you have available - red peppers, summer squash, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, seriously, you can use any veggie your heart desires! And a bit of finally chopped garlic.
Chopped Veggies - I sometimes shred my zucchini as it adds another layer of texture to the soup.
Sauté veggies in olive oil, add some oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until veggies are just starting to lose their crunch (but not too soft as they’ll continue cooking when the soup is simmering).
Next add tomatoes - I put the canned/chopped tomatoes in my Magic Bullet mixer and puree, it makes a thicker broth. And add chicken broth - you’re going to need to just feel your way through this … start with less as you can always add more! If you’re okay with a few carbs, add some diced potatoes.
Now add canned beans - good for protein! I usually use cannellini beans, and/or red kidney, garbanzo beans. I normally add two cans as I want to make a large enough batch for weekday lunches.
And now for the the ‘secret ingredient’ which takes this to a whole new level - sun dried tomato pesto (you can use regular pesto as well but it won’t have the same zing!). I probably use about a 1/3 of a cup or more of the pesto - start with less, add more to taste as the soup simmers. (Note: Homemade sun-dried tomato pesto is best and easy to make, you can find a great recipe here. I usually double the batch as I use it in so many dishes!).
Let soup simmer for about an hour, or longer - just keep checking to make sure it’s not sticking.
Add frozen peas - and if you wish, add some chopped spinach at this point too. I’ll confess, as much as I like spinach and it’s got a lot of health benefits, I’m not a fan of it in my soup as it tends to feel slimy if not eaten right away. If you’re making this for dinner and not planning on leftovers, pile on the spinach!
To serve, sprinkle on some freshly grated pecorino or parmesan and enjoy!
For an extra treat, spread some sun-dried tomato pesto on bread - preferably good crusty French bread - top with smoked gouda (or any cheese will do but the smoked gouda is insanely delish!) and pop in the oven for a cheese toasty!