Italian Inn Minestrone Soup

Submitted by TxGriffLover

"From the Italian Inn cookbook. There are many versions of Minestrone Soup. It can be made with or without meat, if you want to use canned beans instead of dried, it's perfectly acceptable. The main thing is it is full of healthy vegetables, legumes, and vitamins."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 45mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Serves: 10-12

ingredients

• 1 cup dried cannellini beans or 1 cup navy beans
• 1 cup dried garbanzo beans
• 1 cup brown beans
• 1 cup lentils (red are best)
• 1 small ham bone, with a small amount ham
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, wedges
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 1⁄2 cup chopped celery
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• penne pasta, as desired
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1⁄2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

directions

1. Wash and rinse beans, add ham bone and cover with water.
2. Cook until almost done, several hours, then add reminder of ingredients except spinach and Parmesan.
3. When the soup is done add the spinach leaves, they will cook almost immediately, and keep their pretty green color.
4. Be sure you have extra liquid before adding the pasta. Cook until just the al dente stage, as you don't want your pasta to be mushy. You can cook the pasta separately if desired. When you serve the Minestrone, sprinkle one heaping tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on top of each bowl.