Minestrone Soup – Healthy & Flavorful

The past week has been filled with chilly winds and untimely showers, and we pretty much have to keep the heat on in the house the whole day. It doesn’t feel like Spring, and I want this gloomy weather to go away! Just to warm things up in the kitchen, I decided to make a healthy and filling soup that was loaded with veggies and flavor. And what else, but a perfect Minestrone Soup would come close! This soup recipe, courtesy of Whole Foods, has now become my winter favorite. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, it is like a meal by itself. And if you are looking for a healthy recipe to include in your weight-loss plan, then bookmark this page.

Minestrone comes from the Italian origin, meaning “One big soup”; it does not have a fixed recipe, just throw in all the seasonal vegetables you can get your hands on, add some beans and pasta, some meat too, if you like, and you have a one-dish meal served to you right there. Due to its high nutrient content, it is not only healthy, but very filling too. You probably do not need anything else with it – just some crusty bread or a side salad would suffice. So feel free to substitute veggies and pasta of your choice in the recipe below – at the end, you are sure to end up with a bowl full of hale and hearty soup!

Hale & Hearty Minestrone Soup

Ingredients
Makes 6-8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup thinly sliced Savoy cabbage
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil
2 large stalks of celery, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 dried bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with their liquid
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1 cup dried fusilli pasta
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or white beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method
In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until translucent.

Now add the broth, cabbage, tomato paste, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and tomatoes along with their juice and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked tender.

Add chickpeas, pasta, and beans at the very end, and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. You can also add some garlic croutons for more flavor.

I have tried many soup recipes before, but have always tweaked them a bit, to suit my taste. But this is one recipe that i followed down to the core, and it came out perfect! It is packed with nutrients, and if you can get your kids to drink a small bowl too, they’ll be on their way to good health.

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