Vegetable soup has never been a favorite of mine. I liked when my mom would cook it, but I wouldn’t normally think about it as one of my go-to staple recipes for weeknight dinners. Also, Jason doesn’t love soup, so I usually stay away from … well, soup. But I saw this recipe for a healthy vegetable soup and thought why not? I was home by myself for a lot this past weekend so knew that I would like it, Audrey might try it and Jason could choke it down (which he did, and actually liked it!). I liked how the recipe offered different “versions,” such as a Mexican version with Rotel, an Italian version with beans or just regular. I served this with some Naan bread, but would also be delish with grilled cheese. Enjoy!
Vegetable Soup
Adapted from: Danica’s Daily
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 oz. can Great Northern beans
- 1/2 can of tomato paste
- 32 oz. chicken stock (I added water to make a bigger pot)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 2 cups kale, roughly chopped
- 1 oz. macaroni pasta
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
1. In a large soup pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and garlic, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the beans, tomato paste, broth, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables soften, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the peppers, kale, pasta and continue cooking for 8 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.