Recipes

Italian Vegetable Soup


Italian Vegetable Soup

Soup! The best comfort food around on a cold winter day or night. This minestrone-style soup is hearty, healthy and satisfying, loaded with veggies and pasta, and makes a delicious one-pot meal.

This recipe is from Holly Clegg's Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets To Sizzle At Any Age cookbook.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
  • 1 cup small zucchini chunks
  • 2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup peeled carrots, cut in small chunks or baby carrots
  • 6 cups fat-free chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can white navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup small penne pasta
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
  • 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Preparation

Each recipe makes 8 (1 cup) servings.

  1. In a nonstick pot coated with nonstick spray, heat olive oil and sauté green pepper, onion, and celery, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add zucchini, prosciutto, garlic and carrots; continue to sauté another 3-5 minutes or until tender.
  3. Add broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring to boil.
  4. Add pasta and continue to cook 6-8 minutes or until pasta is tender.
  5. Add basil and spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted. Season to taste.
  6. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Baker’s Tip: When reheating, add more broth if too thick. For a vegetarian option, omit prosciutto and use vegetable broth.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)

  • 159 calories (18% calories from fat)
  • 3 g fat
  • 1 g saturated fat
  • 6 mg cholesterol
  • 738 mg sodium
  • 24 g carbohydrates
  • 6 g dietary fiber
  • 5 g sugar
  • 10 g protein
  • Dietary exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat