Minestrone Soup Made Easy

Name: Minestrone Soup Made Easy
Yield: 8 servings (12 cups/3 L)
Ingredients: 2 tsp (10 mL) butter; 1 small onion finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic minced; 900 mL container no-salt-added or regular chicken broth; 28 oz (796 mL) can no-salt-added or regular diced tomatoes; 19 oz (540 mL) white kidney beans rinsed and drained; 2 cups (500 mL) bite-size cauliflower florets about ⅓ head; 2 cup carrots thinly sliced; 1 zucchini sliced into half moons; 1/4 lb (125 g) halved yellow beans about 1 large handful; 2 tsp (10 mL) dried Italian seasoning; 1/2 cup (125 mL) your favourite small pasta; 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour; 2 cups (500 mL) milk; 4 cups (1 L) baby kale or spinach about ⅓ (5 oz/142 g) pkg; Freshly ground pepper; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt (optional); Grated Canadian Parmesan optional

Our dietitians' favourite

This recipe is taken from the 2017 Milk Calendar. This minestrone is one of those healthy, complete meal soups. Updated to include super greens like spinach and kale, you’ll feel great after eating it.

Prep: 15 min
Cooking: 25 min

Yields 8 servings (12 cups/3 L)

Ingredients

2 tsp (10 mL) butter
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
900 mL container no-salt-added or regular chicken broth
28 oz (796 mL) can no-salt-added or regular diced tomatoes
19 oz (540 mL) white kidney beans rinsed and drained
2 cups (500 mL) bite-size cauliflower florets about ⅓ head
2 cup carrots thinly sliced
1 zucchini sliced into half moons
1/4 lb (125 g) halved yellow beans about 1 large handful
2 tsp (10 mL) dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup (125 mL) your favourite small pasta
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
2 cups (500 mL) milk
4 cups (1 L) baby kale or spinach about ⅓ (5 oz/142 g) pkg
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt (optional)
Grated Canadian Parmesan optional

READY FOR REWARDS?

Preparation

Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 min. Stir in broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, beans and Italian seasoning. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer covered 10 min. Add pasta. Cover and simmer 10 min longer or until pasta is tender.

In large measuring cup, whisk flour into milk. Gradually whisk into soup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Stir in kale and pepper; gently boil 2 min. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan. If soup is too thick the next day, thin with broth or water.

Tips

Watching your sodium? Look for low-salt or no-salt-added chicken broth and canned tomatoes and eliminate salt in recipe. Of course regular broth and tomatoes work as well.

This soup makes a perfect pre-activity meal – fast for the cook to make, and nutritious for the kids.

Minestrone is the perfect soup to use leftover little bits of vegetables like peas and broccoli.