Minestrone

This isn't too different from many minestrone recipes, although it may have more ingredients than most. I stumbled upon it by throwing things into a pot and it is absolutely the best minestrone I've ever had! Be sure to salt and pepper as you go; every couple of steps to taste. You can add the pasta right to the soup if you plan to eat it all right away. It is easier that way, but making it separately allows for leftovers as the pasta will not soak up all the broth.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 -3  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  medium onions, diced
• 2  carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise
• 2  stalks celery, sliced crosswise
• 4  garlic cloves
• 2  zucchini, halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise
• 1⁄2 cup white wine
• 1⁄2 cup  rough-chopped white cabbage
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans or 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (32 ounce) carton  vegetable stock or 1 (32 ounce) carton broth
• 1  cup  loosely-packed fresh basil
• 1⁄2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1  cup  frozen Italian cut green beans or 1  cup  regular green beans
• 5  ounces  Baby Spinach
• 8  ounces small shell pasta or 8  ounces  other small shell pasta
•  salt
•  black pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. In the meantime, start a smaller pot of water for the pasta and add the pasta and some salt to the water when it boils. Cook according to package directions.
2. Saute onions a couple of minutes.
3. Add carrots and celery and saute a couple of minutes more.
4. Add garlic and zucchini and saute until all vegetables are just tender.
5. Add wine.
6. When most of the alcohol has cooked off, add cabbage and cook a couple more minutes.
7. Add all canned ingredients and stir to combine.
8. Increase heat to high and add the stock. Cover until soup simmers.
9. Add herbs and frozen green beans.
10. When green beans are thawed, add baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring to help the wilting along.
11. Combine pasta and soup in individual bowls and serve.
12. Drizzle any leftover pasta with olive oil so it will not stick together in the refrigerator.