Dining Detour

Even though it’s hot outside, I have been craving some comfy soup. My parents surprised me with some veggies from their garden, and now it was time to get creative. I saw this recipe that included pesto and I was sold.  I recently made fresh pesto with basil, so I was all set on that front. The pesto actually really makes this recipe sparkle–good without it–but much better with it. enjoy!

Summer Minestrone Soup recipe: Epicurious

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 small red-skinned potatoes, cut into small pieces OR use a small pasta such as small shells
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces I skipped these but I imagine they would be a nice addition
• 3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces I went with one medium zucchini from my mom’s garden! 3 sounds like a lot of zucchini.
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), drained
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, crushed or use a 28 ounce can
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 6 tablespoons Pesto either from a jar or make your own
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add broth, carrots and celery, cook for 3 minutes. Then add next 5 ingredients. Increase heat to high and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; simmer 3 minutes longer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into 6 bowls; garnish each with 1 tablespoon pesto. Serve, passing cheese separately.

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