Hearty Meatless Minestrone Recipe

By sklesley

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

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 70mins
Adapted from tasteofhome.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, green pepper, zucchini and garlic; saute 3 minutes longer. Stir in the water, tomatoes, beans, tomato puree, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in pasta; cook 12-15 minutes longer or until tender. Garnish each serving with basil and cheese if desired.
Yield: 8 servings (3 quarts).