Main Dish Minestrone

Submitted by Chicopee

"A soup with a lot of leeway. If you have extra veggies in the fridge, throw them on in. This version of the soup has no meat...it uses beans as the protein and again, you can use whatever beans you like."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 18

ingredients

• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1⁄2 lbs cabbage, coarsely sliced (approx weight)
• 16 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1⁄3 cup rice, uncooked
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 cups beef broth
• 1 large zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 (10 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 10 ounces spinach

directions

1. In dutch oven, over med-hi heat, cook carrots, celery, onions , garlic and cabbage in olive oil until browned (20 min), stirring frequently.
2. Add tomato with liquid, rice, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, pepper, potato, beef broth and zucchini.
3. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes or until veggies and rice are cooked.
5. Add beans and spinach.
6. Cook over medium heat until spinach is cooked and beans are heated through.
7. Soup becomes thick upon standing but once heated will return to original consistency.
8. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Reviews

[jaxban]

I made this in the crock-pot and put everything in at the same time. After 10 hours on "high", soup was bland. Next day I added 16oz tomatoe sauce and 2lbs of stew meat- it tastes wonderful now!