Minestrone

By bakers_delight85

This soup can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated, then add beans and pasta right before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces, washed well and dried
• 1 carrot, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 small head cabbage, halved lengthwise and shredded
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 can (19 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 ounces elbow macaroni
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Add onion, leek, carrot and garlic: cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cabbage, and rosemary; cook, stirring, until vegetables are coated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes with their juice and enough water (about 6 cups) to cover vegetables by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender and soup is thickened, about 10 minutes. At this point, soup can be refrigerated up to 2 days in an airtight container; let cool completely before storing. Bring to a simmer before proceeding.
Stir in beans and pasta; cook until pasta is al dente, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, then garnish with Parmesan and drizzle with oil.