Vegetarian Minestrone

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup dried great northern beans, presoaked
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can whole tomatoes, coarsley chopped, with juice
• 3 cups tomato juice
• 2 cups vegetable broth or 2 cups water
• 2 cups water
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 medium zucchini, unpeeled, quartered length-wise and sliced
• 3/4 cup uncooked macaroni or 3/4 cup other small shell pasta
• freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping
• homemade garlic-flavored croutons, if desired

Recipe

• 1 in a large soup pot over high heat, combine drained beans, tomatoes, tomato juice, stock, water, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, salt, basil, thyme, oregano, and pepper.
• 2 bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• 3 add cabbage, zucchini, and macaroni and cooked, covered, until macaroni and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• 4 for a thicker soup, remove about 1 cup vegetables and puree in a food processor or blender.
• 5 return to soup pot and simmer, uncovered, until blended. ladle into bowls and top with parmesan cheese and garlic croutons.