green minestrone soup

It's a time of transition, from warm to cool and green to golden, fall colors and temperatures are in their prime. Honolulu is still hot and humid as usual but I can imagine what the season change is bringing to everyone on the mainland. My mom keeps sending me pictures of the gorgeous colors in North Idaho...

So nostalgic, but forever grateful that I live in Hawaii! I may have to force soup season but I can surf in a bikini year round, so no complaining here! 

This green minestrone soup is hearty and filling, perfect for a chilly night with the fireplace lit and glass of red wine in hand...

There I go again! I do have a glass of red wine in hand but I am sweating and have the fan blasting, and it's 8pm. That's not complaining, is it? 

green minestrone soup

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery with greens, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 small zucchinis or 1 large, chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 oz uncooked pasta
• 2 cups pasta water
• 1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chopped green curly or dino kale
• fresh basil to garnish, cut into a chiffonade 

Prepare all veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. In a smaller pot boil water for pasta. Add veggies to oil and cook for about ten minutes. Be careful not to overcook, you don't want the zuccini to be falling apart by the time you serve the soup.

Add the vegetable broth, salt and pepper, and oregano. By this time your pasta water should be boiling and pasta cooking. When the pasta is al dente scoop out 2 cups of the pasta water and add it to the soup. Drain the pasta and add it to the soup along with the great northern beans. Bring the soup back up to a boil. Stir in the chopped kale and cover to cook for a few minutes.

Serve with a fresh basil chiffonade. To do this, take a few basil leave and roll them longways, slice very thinly so they end up like skinny ribbons.

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green minestrone soup

by almost vegan November-4-2017

This chunky soup is sure to fill you up!

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 3 stalks celery, with greens
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 small or 1 large zucchini
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• to taste salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 oz dried pasta
• 1 can great northern beans
• 2 cups pasta water
• 2 cups chopped green curly or dino kale
• fresh basil

Instructions

Prepare all veggies.Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot.In a smaller pot boil water for pasta.Add veggies to oil and cook for about ten minutes. Be careful not to overcook.Add the vegetable broth, salt and pepper, and oregano.By this time your pasta water should be boiling and pasta cooking. When the pasta is al dente scoop out 2 cups of the pasta water and add it to the soup.Drain the pasta and add it to the soup along with the great northern beans. Bring the soup back up to a boil.Stir in the chopped kale and cover to cook for a few minutes. Serve with a fresh basil chiffonade.

Details

Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: plenty