Italian Vegetable Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

2 leeks, (white portion only) chopped, then soak in a bowl of water and strain to remove sand

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 large carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 medium zucchini, diced

4 cups (32 ounces) low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 can (14.5 ounce) no salt diced tomatoes

1 Tablespoon dried basil

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 bay leaves

2 cups green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1 1/2- inch pieces

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 package (16 ounces) cavatappi pasta, cooked following package directions

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Add To

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy 8 quart soup pot over medium heat.

Add the onion, leeks, and garlic and saute until translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the carrots, celery, and zucchini and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the broth and diced tomatoes.

Stir in the basil, parsley, oregano and bay leaves and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat, bringing the soup to a simmer and add the green beans, corn and peas.

Cover the pot, continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes allowing the flavors to develop while stirring occasionally. If needed, more broth can be added to preserve soup consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

In a separate large pot, cook the cavatappi pasta according to package directions.

When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls, add a small portion of pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Photo and food styling by Webstop

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