Hearty Meatless Minestrone
A friend gave me this quick, healthy recipe, and it's oh-so-tasty. It makes a big batch and is great for leftovers. To enhance the flavor, add a pound or two of sweet Italian sausage. —Mickey Turner, Grants Pass, Oregon
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 cup chopped cabbage
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3-1/2 cups water
- 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
- 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup small pasta shells
- Fresh basil leaves and shaved Parmesan cheese, optional
Reviews
This is a staple in our house...great soup!!
Wow, multiplied times 5 and made this for a meatless dinner at our church. They loved it and many said it was the best soup they'd ever eaten...bar none. My husband put it together and he was glowing with all the grateful compliments.
This is simply THE BEST winter soup. It's hearty, warm, the cayenne gives it just a little kick, low calorie, my family LOVES this soup!
A very good minestrone recipe. Makes a lot!
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I loved all the veggies in this soup. I thought it needed more liquid, but I may have just added too much pasta. This is a great healthy recipe!
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I substituted cannelini beans for the chickpeas and cut the recipe in half, also left out the cabbage. Soup was delicious!
I made the recipe and I liked the chunky veggies. I had left out the tomato sauce because I didn't have any. I could not tell the difference. Next time, I will substitute kidney beans for the chickpeas.
I actually added a little sausage to make my meat eating hubby happy and we both loved this hearty veggie packed soup.