Italian Bean Soup

By barbsjustagirl

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/3 cups with 2 teaspoons cheese equals 224 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 1,029 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 11 g protein.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small potato, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
• 1/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 40mins

Preparation

Step 1

* In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, potato, celery and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, parsley and pesto. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
* Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Yield: 6 servings (about 2 quarts).