Cooking with FarmboxRX

Who says soup is just for cold weather? This Spring Minestrone is the easiest weeknight dinner that your family will definitely be requesting again.

It is chock full of nutritious, seasonal vegetables – everything from soup staples to hearty root vegetables and leafy greens. Plus, we’re throwing in a can of beans for added fiber and plant protein. This is truly an all-around winner!

If you don’t have everything on the ingredient list, no need to run to the store. Substitute any ingredient for something similar that you have on hand or whatever you’ve received in your weekly FarmboxRX delivery. Happy souping! 

Easy Spring Minestrone

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• Salt
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 lb. tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14-oz.) can chopped tomatoes with liquid
• 1 qt. vegetable broth, low sodium or no added salt
• 1 qt. water
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
• ¾ lb. zucchini, diced
• A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth
• 1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into florets 
• ½ C soup pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
• Leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard) torn into pieces
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• ¼ C slivered fresh basil leaves
• Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

Directions: 

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add ½ teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 more minutes.
2. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in 1 quart vegetable broth and 1 quart water, the sweet potato, zucchini, and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
4. Stir in the cannellini beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
5. While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the broccoli florets. Boil 3-4 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin out the soup later.
6. Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the torn greens and cooked broccoli into the soup. Grind in some black pepper and taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting.
7. Stir in the basil. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.

Erin Pellegrin RD, LDN