Minestrone Soup

By tlshinnick

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion -- diced
• 2 cloves garlic -- minced
• 1 cup carrots -- sliced 1/4" thick
• 1/2 cup celery -- sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 large potato -- peeled and cubed
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 4 cups cabbage -- shredded
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 quarts low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 15 oz can cannelini or other whilte beans -- rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup parmeggiano reggiano cheese -- grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Sprinke onions with
1/2 teaspoon salt and saute onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic
and saute another 3 minutes.

Add carrots, celery, potato, red peper flakes, basil, and tomatoes. Bring
to a boil. Add cabbage, chicken broth and wine.

Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add beans and cook another ten minutes. Stir in cheese. Add any
additional salt and pepper needed and serve.


NOTES : This is a very flexible recipe. You can add diced zucchini or
green beans. You can add chopped fresh parsley, basil or spinach.
You can substitute beef broth for chicken. You can leave out the
wine or use red instead. You can dice a couple of pieces of bacon
and saute it with the the onion to add a richer, smokier flavor.
I often turn up the heat and throw in 1/2 cup of some kind of
small pasta when I add the beans.