Monday, May 11, 2009

Minestrone Soup



Minestrone soup is a classic Italian soup jam-packed with vegetables, beans, pasta and spices. This is a thick soup and best suited as an entree rather than an appetizer as it is quite filling. There is no particular recipe for this particular soup. You may add your own choice of vegetables and consider this as a best way to make use of your left overs! Pasta or rice is added to the soup towards the end. This can be converted to a non vegetarian soup too with the addition of chicken broth and meat.


I adopted the recipe from the book 'Top Secret Restaurant Recipes' by Todd Wilbur but changed the original recipe to suit my taste. This recipe is a perfect clone of Olive Garden's Minestrone Soup.Olive Garden describes this soup as "Fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth-a vegetarian classic". Imagine making America's famous restaurant dishes in our kitchens and enjoying having those in the warmth and comfort of our own homes with the few dollars still in your wallet! This was what exactly Todd Wilbur hoped to achieve and after reading his few recipes and having personally tried out each I should say that he has done a perfect job. He says in his book how cool it is to make these famous recipes at home and then watch people freak out when they take a bite!! Though having never worked at these restaurant chains he saw each recipe as a mystery waiting to be unravelled. Using kitchen sleuthing techniques that took a long time he has finally sculpted the perfect clones!

Ingredients- Serves 4
1/2 white onion minced
Baby Spinach chopped - 3 cups
Zucchini- 1/2 cup chopped
Snow peas- 10 chopped
Celery stalks- 2 minced
Garlic cloves -2 minced
Vegetable Broth- 5 1/2 cups( I used Swanson)
Canned cooked red kidney beans drained- 3/4th of a 15 oz can
Canned cooked Northern beans(white beans) drained- 3/4th of a 15 oz can
Tomatoes - 2 chopped
Carrot -1 shredded
Minced fresh parsley - 2 tbsp
Italian seasoning - 1.5 tsp
Basil leaves - 1 tbsp chopped
Rotini pasta/ Small Seashell pasta - 1/2 cup(I used whole wheat rotini)
Bay leaves -2
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter

Method:
  • Heat butter in a stockpot over medium heat.
  • Saute onion, zucchini, snow peas, celery and garlic for few minutes until onion turns transparent.
  • Add 3 cups of broth along with tomatoes, drained beans, carrot, all seasonings, parsley, basil, bay leaves.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low medium and cook with a closed lid for about 15 minutes.
  • Add spinach and pasta along with the remaining 2.5 cups broth and cook for additional 25-30 minutes or until the soup attains the desired thickness/pasta is well cooked.
  • Serve with bread rolls.
This goes to:

No Croutons Required hosted by Jacqueline.


Bookmarked Recipes hosted by Divya of Dile Se and started by Ruth.



SWC-Cooking with Greens event hosted by Soumya and started by Lakshmi.


Pooja.

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56 comments:

Unknown said...

Thats a lovely entry pooja..so healthy..definitely delicious too! ...am so glad to get more entries from you.

Pooja said...

Thanks Sowmya :)

Parita said...

Thats quite lovely and filling soup with lots of veggies...nice entry :)

Pooja said...

Thanks Parita :)

Kalyani said...

i love soups pooja ... so will try to make this ... didnot try at home ...

Pooja said...

Do try it Kalyani. Its filling with veggies n beans and healthy too :)

VineelaSiva said...

Wow nice healthy soup.I love this soup but i did not add the spices and herbs.I just add the pasta,vegetables thats it.But i love urs.Will try this.

Padma said...

That is a healthy n delicious soup ... nice entry :)

Pooja said...

Thanks Vineela. Do try with spices n herbs next :)
Thanks Padma :)

Lena Jayadev said...

healthy soup n nice presentation :)

Sweta (My Indian Dietitian) said...

It's like a one dish meal!! I don't think I'll be able to eat anything else after this soup :)

Pooja said...

Lovely soup pooja..lookng nice...

Pooja said...

Thanks Sweta & Pooja :)

Ashwini said...

yumm soup..looks so delicious...healthy soup..

Pooja said...

Thanks Ashwini :)

Renuka said...

Wow..the soup looks perfect..

Pooja said...

Thanks Renuka :)

Lisa Turner said...

Lovely soup and so good for you too. Very hearty. Perfect for colder evenings.

Christo Gonzales said...

excellent entry - well done with a simple and satisfying soup...

Pooja said...

Thanks Lisa for dropping by :)

Sailaja Damodaran said...

thanks for the lovely soup

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Wow i love minestrone soup pooja that to on rainy days and cold weather omg its heaven,,, and the bowl is looking so good and tempting me to have soup right now

Priya Suresh said...

I love this soup, excellent entry Pooja...prefect while its too cold!

saffronapron.blogspot.com said...

Simple soup. Great food.

Pooja said...

Thanks Ms.Sailaja for dropping by :)
Thanks Pavithra..I agree with you...Its really comforting to have a bowl of hot soup during rainy days!

Pooja said...

Thanks Priya & Smitha :)

Chef Jeena said...

Gorgeous soup I love how you made it and it looks so yummy.

Varsha Vipins said...

That looks so colorful n tasty Pooja..:)

Pooja said...

Thanks Jeena & Varsha :)

Nandinis food said...

Soup is tempting,colorful and healthy! wonderful entry!

Vrinda said...

Nowadays i am seeing lots of soup recipes..but i am not a soup person..Soup looks colorful ,will try for my hubby...

Pooja said...

Thanks Usha & Vrinda :)

Ramya Vijaykumar said...

Pooja you need to pass on the bowl to me.. its so cold and windy at night I wish I could have a bowl or 2 of soup!!! looks very comforting!!!

Manju said...

minestone is like my favourite kind of soup..yours looks great!

Home Cooked Oriya Food said...

My favorite soup. You have done a great job... Perfect!

Pooja said...

Thanks Ramya..You may take the bowl :)
Thanks Manju & Home Cooked Oriya Food :)

chef and her kitchen said...

Thats a lovely soup pooja....Comfort bowl of soup..

Unknown said...

wow.. healthy soup & looks colourful.. great click dear..

Purva Desai said...

This is my all time fav soup....looks perfect sizzling hot

Indian Khana said...

Looks gud...perfect lunch or dinner...

Pooja said...

Thanks Prathibha, Srikar, Purva & Priti :)

Premyscakes said...

soup looks lovely. my all time fav.

Pooja said...

Thanks Prema :)

Vrinda said...

Abt ur doubt..No need to add water dear,coconut and jaggeri will blend easely..nammude naatil virunninokke ee undaya konde varika,cheruthalla ,Big Unda..he he..try this,these r my fav...

Pooja said...

Thanks a lot Vrinda for the quick reply :) Aa paranje sheriya Vrinda..perfect virunnu item :) Will try this.

Jaya M said...

this looks so delicious Pooja..
hugs and smiles

Pooja said...

Thanks Jaya :)

vidhas said...

Very inviting soup, healthy too, surely will try and let you know.

Pooja said...

Thanks Vidhya, sure would love to :)

Unknown said...

Just happened to check out your post. Can u send me an email with the link.I just love olive garden soups and this is my fav!

Pooja said...

Thanks Divya..I had sent a mail too. Will send again.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sending this to 'Bookmarked Recipes' Event!

Valarmathi Sanjeev said...

Healthy one. Very inviting too.

Pooja said...

Welcome :)
Thanks Valar :)

Unknown said...

That looks like such a tasty and comforting soup Pooja. Thanks for entering it into this month's No Croutons Required.

Good Luck!

Jacqueline
:)

Pooja said...

Thanks Jacqueline :)