Minestrone Soup Made Easy

Recipe Makes: 8 servings 
Prep Time: 15 minutes 
​Cooking Time: 25 minutes 

​This minestrone is one of those healthy, complete meal soups. Updated to include super greens like spinach and Swiss chard, you’ll feel great after eating it.

Ingredients
​
2 tsp (10 mL) butter    
1 small onion, finely chopped    
2 cloves garlic, minced    
900 mL  low sodium or regular chicken broth    
28 oz (796 ml) diced tomatoes, canned    
19 oz (540 ml) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained    
2 cups (500 ml) bite-size cauliflower florets, about ⅓ head    
2 cups (500 ml) 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 (142 g) swiss chard or spinach
Freshly ground pepper     
1/2 tsp (2mL)    salt (optional)    
Grated Parmesan, optional    

​Instructions 

1. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 min.

2. 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.

3. Add pasta. Cover and simmer 10 min longer or until pasta is tender.

4. In large measuring cup, whisk flour into milk. Gradually whisk into soup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils.

5. 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.

​

Recipe provided by Dairy Farmers of Canada.