Minestrone Soup

Quite a delight! I must have compared 20 minestrone recipes to create this as one of the dishes for our ECW (Episcopal Church Women) to raise funds. Which is why you see instructions for large and small containers.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 36
• Yields: 36 Cups

Ingredients

• 32  ounces  canned white navy beans, drained
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2  teaspoons garlic, chopped
• 3  celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 3  carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 1⁄2 cups cabbage, thinly shredded
• 10  ounces spinach (frozen, if fresh a little more lightly chopped)
• 2  red potatoes, diced (about 8 ounces)
• 28  ounces tomatoes, crushed
• 18  cups  chicken stock
• 1 3⁄4 cups  mastaccioli pasta, dry (6 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  teaspoons oregano
• 2  teaspoons parsley (5 times as much if fresh-better)
• 2  teaspoons basil (5 times as much if fresh-better)

Directions

1. Open and drain beans.
2. Chop all that needs chopping.
3. Heat oil in a large pot & saute the onions and garlic in the oil until soft.
4. Add stock. I make it from Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, you can use a prepared stock or make it from scratch. Do NOT use regular bouillon.
5. Add all the remaining ingredients except spinach and bring to boil.
6. Let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add spinach and simmer 5 more minutes.
8. Bring to room temp or refrigerate. Remove bay leaf. Fill containers to 1/2" below the very top. to leave room for expansion if freezing. Approximately 8 ounces in small and 32 ounces in large.
9. Refrigerate or freeze, depending on how long it is before delivery date.