Hearty Homemade Minestrone Soup

One of my favorite soups to eat year-round is this homemade Minestrone soup. Homemade minestrone soup is a tomato-based hearty soup packed with vegetables and beans. This recipe differs from a traditional minestrone soup recipe as it uses the Mareli Pasta Sauce as its base with the addition of broth. If you love traditional Italian minestrone soup, you will love this homemade vegetarian soup recipe even more. It is packed with delicious ingredients such as healthy vegetables, beans, and herbs and reminds me of Olive Garden’s minestrone soup. 

The mixture of herbs, like freshly chopped parsley, helps add flavor to this soup, and the beans provide the protein. Topped with parmesan cheese, you will love this vegetarian minestrone soup packed with the proper nutrition. I find this soup very comforting on cold days.

Ingredients 

• 1 chopped onion

• 3 cloves chopped garlic

• 1 cup mixed beans

• ½ cup fresh spinach 
• ½ cup cauliflower
• ⅓ cup corn
• ⅓ cup barley
• ½ cup Bok Choy
• ½ cup carrots
• 1 diced potato 
• ½ cup peas
• Fresh Parmesan Rinds
• 2 cups Mareli Pasta Sauce
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• Add more broth to adjust the consistency of soup

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Instructions 

1. 1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
   2. Add chopped onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.
   3. Add all the diced vegetables to the pot except spinach. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften.
   4. Pour in the Mareli spicy or regular pasta sauce and add the beans. Stir well.
   5. Add the vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
   6. Add a sprinkle of fresh basil, parsley, and oregano, salt, and pepper to the soup. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
   
   
   1. Add the chopped spinach to the soup and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the greens are wilted.
   2. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed.
   3. Serve the minestrone hot, garnished with freshly grated parmesan rinds.
   
   

   Make it your own homemade recipe by modifying the ingredients.

   
   

   Beans: I enjoy incorporating beans into my soups, and I throw in whatever types I have available, like cannellini beans, kidney beans, or red beans. Chickpeas and lentils are equally delightful additions!

   
   

   Vegetables: You can enhance this soup with a medley of seasonal or fresh vegetables from your kitchen. Feel free to raid your fridge and incorporate an assortment of produce, such as broccoli, celery, yellow squash, carrots, snap peas, cauliflower, bok choy, spinach, and corn.

   
   

   Tomato Paste: If you want a thicker soup, add tomato paste.

   
   

   Broth + Mareli Pasta Sauce: You can add vegetable stock and Mareli Pasta Sauce for the perfect combination of nutrition and flavor.

   
   

   Herbs: A sprinkle of fresh basil, parsley, and oregano adds that perfect extra layer of flavor and aroma to this hearty dish.