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Easy Minestrone Soup

Easy Minestrone Soup is a perfect meal on a cold winter day!

I hope everyone has recovered from their food comas and made it out of black Friday alive. I am more of a cyber Monday shopper so I didn’t have to deal with the craziness. Did anyone get a good deal? I am sure there were tons out there!

As you start thinking about what to cook this weekend you might be craving healthy and comforting food (if you live in the Midwest it is getting COLD out so soup usually does the trick…).

This Easy Minestrone Soup fits the bill and is really easy to make.

Easy Minestrone Soup is delicious!

Easy Minestrone Soup

Now that it is getting colder outside, soup is made in my house at least once a week, usually more. Minestrone is one soup I haven’t made but keep thinking that it would be a good one to add to the winter rotation. 

bowl of Easy Minestrone Soup

I knew it would offer the right amount of comfort & flavor and boy was I right! At first I wondered if my love of this soup was enhanced because of the glass of wine I had in my hand (Pinot Noir by Bin 36—my favorite, favorite, favorite), but decided that the wine was just the icing on the cake and that the soup was really that good.

delicious Easy Minestrone Soup

This Easy Minestrone Soup calls for a Parmesan rind which is something I learned about on a blog I follow, Iowa Girl Eats (check out her blog–it is great & this Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup looks delish).  Kristin mentioned that Whole Foods sells Parmesan rinds and that she uses them in her cooking. When I saw that this recipe called for Parmesan rinds I decided to ask my local grocery store, Marianos, if they had any.

Ask and you shall receive!

parm rind for Easy Minestrone Soup

They gave 5 rinds for $1.07!Can you say cheap?  Store them in your freeze and add them to soups, stews, sauces.  Just pull it out when you are ready to serve–it adds a rich flavor will take any dish to the next level.  You don’t  even need to thaw the Parmesan rind–just throw it in the pot and the heat will slowly melt it down.

parmesan rinds in Easy Minestrone Soup

Now lets get cooking! Gather all of your ingredients..

ingredients for Easy Minestrone Soup

Heat a large saucepan over medium. Add oil, then onion, carrot, celery, garlic and chili flakes and cook until vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

tender veggies for Easy Minestrone Soup

Add tomatoes, beans (make sure to drain and rinse to cut the sodium), broth, Parmesan rind, pasta and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pasta is tender, 10 to 11 min.

Easy Minestrone Soup 1Easy Minestrone Soup 2Easy Minestrone Soup 3

Remove and discard Parmesan rind. Stir in spinach and let simmer until the spinach is wilted. Garnish with grated Parmesan and basil.

finished Easy Minestrone Soup

ready to eat Easy Minestrone Soup

This Easy Minestrone Soup made enough for my husband to have a bowl at dinner and me to have TWO! And then we had three leftover lunch containers. I love recipes like this because you get double use—dinner & lunch. I also loved that this recipe was so easy to make but had an amazing flavor.  Oh, and if you live by Bin 36 in Chicago I highly recommend picking up their Pinot Noir—I promise you will not be disappointed. Otherwise enjoy your favorite Italian red.

 What is your favorite soup to make?

Julia

 

Linked up with Hungry Girl’s Wednesday Extravaganza.

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Tender perth

Tuesday 26th of February 2013

This is the second time I've been to your site. Thanks for sharing more details.

HungryLittleGirl

Monday 3rd of December 2012

I can't get enough of minestrone. Growing up with Italians, we had that pretty much with every meal!

A Cedar Spoon

Monday 3rd of December 2012

This is my favorite minestrone recipe I have made. I think that adding the Parmesan rind really adds great flavor.

Samantha

Monday 26th of November 2012

I'm also a cyber Monday shopper! Even on black Friday sometimes you get good deals online! After years of working in retail I refuse to leave the house on black Friday! I'm a big fan of soup, this recipe looks great!

A Cedar Spoon

Monday 26th of November 2012

Thanks for stopping by! I totally agree--I would much rather sit in the comfort of my home and do my shopping! Let me know if you try this soup out--it's a good one!

A Cedar Spoon

Monday 26th of November 2012

Hi Samantha-thanks for stopping by! I totally agree! Black Friday always seems so stressful to me & I would much rather sit in the comfort of my home to browse and do my shopping! Let me know if you try this recipe out--it is really easy and tasty!

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Sunday 25th of November 2012

Hi there, I found your site by means of Google while looking for a related subject, your site got here up, it appears great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

sippitysup

Sunday 25th of November 2012

Call the day whatever you want, but I always make soup on the day after the day after Thanksgiving. GREG

A Cedar Spoon

Sunday 25th of November 2012

Thanks for stopping by! That tomato soup looks delicious on your site!