Minestrone Soup

As you read in my earlier post for the Lasagna, my son invited a friend over who requested an Italian dinner and soup.  Well there is no soup more Italian than Minestrone.  Do you pronounce the “E” or not?  I think if you are with a real Italian, the E is not pronounced.  I am going with that concept.  That is at least how they said it in the Godfather.

This is a very comforting soup.  Vegetables sauteed for a long time, no meat and finished off with noodles.  It is a reasonably light soup and it is full of flavor because it cooks for a long time.

Ingredients (adapted from Robin Miller):
3 cups chicken broth (I added a little more)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, drained
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach

Directions
In a pot, combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on medium low for 2 to 3 hours (longer the better).

Cook the ditalini noodles in a separate pot until al dente.

Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add ditalini, zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Put the soup in bowls.  Enjoy!