Hearty Minestrone with Barley, Sage, and Beans

By Bostoncook

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
• 1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped, (about 1 medium)
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 4)
• 2 tablespoons bacon, applewood-smoked, finely chopped (about 1 ounce)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 cups savoy cabbage, finely chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cans nonfat chicken broth (14-ounce)
• 1 can cannellini beans (16-ounce) rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups yukon Gold potato, cut into (1/2-inch) cubes
• 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 8 ingredients (through garlic); sauté 5 minutes.

2. Add cabbage and next 5 ingredients (through cannellini beans); bring to a boil. Stir in potato and barley. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in green beans; cook 5 minutes.

Notes: Delicious! Perfect for Sunday soup night. Upped the veggies (probably doubling most of them) and used 3 pieces bacon and dried herbs. Also upped the sage considerably. One of my new favorite soups!