Abruzzo Summer Minestrone
This soup combines everything from your garden (or the produce aisle) in late summer--green beans, zucchini, squash, tomato, peppers and basil. While many minestrone recipes are vegetarian, some include slow-cooked pork or beef. We skip that step--and the time it adds--by using a flavorful jarred sauce that includes simmered sausage and peppers.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoonsunsalted butter
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1carrot, sliced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cupslow-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cupsroughly chopped swiss chard leaves
- 4 ouncessmall pasta shells (about 1 heaping cup)
- 4 ouncesgreen beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoondried oregano
- one 16-ounce jar tomato and sausage pasta sauce
- one 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1yellow summer squash, sliced into half-moons
- 1zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- ¼ cupfresh basil leaves, torn
- freshly grated parmesan, for serving
Directions
- 1
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions and carrots and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- 2
Stir in the chicken broth, chard, pasta, green beans, oregano, pasta sauce, cannellini beans, squash, zucchini, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pasta is cooked and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Divide among 6 bowls and top with the torn basil and Parmesan.