Minestrone Soup
Course:
Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine:
American
INGREDIENTS:
- Olive Oil
- 3 quarts Vegetable Stock or water
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
- 4 medium zucchini - chopped
- 1 large fennel bulb - chopped
- 1 container mushrooms – chopped
- 1 large white onion – chopped
- 1 14oz can kidney beans - drained
- 3 carrots – chopped
- 3 ribs celery – chopped
- 1 ½ cup uncooked farro (or barley)
- 1 small bag of spinach
- 1 bunch basil – torn
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 TB fennel seed
- 1 TB dry oregano
- 1 tsp dry rosemary
- 5 cloves of garlic – chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat a large stockpot over medium/high heat. Pour 2-3 TB olive oil into the bottom until it shimmers. Put in mushrooms and cook until brown and caramelized.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery and fennel next, and cook until onions are translucent. Add the fennel seed, oregano, rosemary and garlic, and stir for about a minute until garlic becomes fragrant. Next add the zucchini, beans, tomatoes, stock, and lemon juice.
- When the mixture is heated to simmering, add the farro and continue to cook, uncovered, on low until veggies are soft when poked with a fork.
- Add the entire bag of spinach and torn basil, stir, and add salt and pepper to taste.
If serving vegan style, top soup with croutons, some thinly sliced fresh basil and ½ tsp of nutritional yeast for that “parmesan” like taste.
If serving to others – top with croutons, basil and a heap of freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese.