Minestrone With Tofu

White Rose Child's Note:

This is one of my family's absolute favorite soups. The tender, succulent tofu nuggets are a big hit with non-vegetarians too. We always serve it with a loaf of freshly-cooked bread cut in thick slices... *drool*

• Total Time: 32 mins
• Prep Time: 12 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 lb firm tofu, frozen and thawed
• 2 -3 tablespoons tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 zucchini, peeled and sliced (or 2 small)
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups low-sodium tomato juice (I use V8)
• 2 -3 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 tablespoon black pepper
• salt, to taste
• 3 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, broken or 3 ounces other pastas, shapes
• 2 cups low-sodium kidney beans (I cook my own) or 1 (19 ounce) can kidney beans

Directions:

1. Gently squeeze excess water from the tofu. Dice it into small-ish cubes, and transfer to a large bowl. Pour in the tamari, 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring to coat evenly. Stir with a wooden spoon to avoid breaking the cubes.(All the tamari will be soaked up- this is fine.) Sprinkle on the garlic powder and stir again.
2. Place the cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake around 325 F for 10 minutes. Turn the cubes and bake about 5 more minutes, till golden brown on all sides (don't they smell good!)Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, soften the carrot, onion and zucchini in a little water, in a large pot. When onions are softened, add all the other ingredients EXCEPT the pasta, and beans if canned.
4. Bring to a boil, and add the pasta. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes. About 5 minutes before serving, add beans.
5. Sprinkle each bowl of soup with a handful of tofu cubes.
6. When storing leftovers, put the tofu in a seperate container and warm the cubes briefly in a toaster oven (for crispiness)or microwave before adding to the soup.

Reviews

[~Harriet~]

This is an absolutely scrumptious soup! The tofu nuggets are a wonderful touch. A big hit with the whole family!

[Sharon123]

Loved it! Even my DH had some and commented it had alot of flavor! I didn't have frozen tofu, so used firm, squeezing out the excess water. I halved the recipe. Thanks for a good recipe!