high protein minestrone
As soon as the temperature dips below seventy, I start to embrace soups and stews for cozy dinners. There is just something about a warm bowl in my hands that makes me feel nourished and cared for. One of the absolute best things about soups is that they can be made very quickly because they use common pantry staples like dried spices and pasta or rice, canned beans, and frozen vegetables. Soups in general come together relatively quickly and make for a satisfying side dish or meal.
One of my childhood favorites is minestrone from the Union Hotel in Occidental, a small Northern California town. The restaurant serves classic Italian-American fare like antipasto, homemade ravioli, and apple fritters for dessert. My parents would take me and my siblings there every year in December after cutting down our family’s Christmas tree. We’d go with several other families and the kids would take over long tables decorated with red and white checked tablecloths and arranged with platters of salami, sliced cheese, breadsticks, and pickled vegetables. Next, the waitresses would push a metal cart out from the kitchen with a large tureen of steaming hot minestrone and ladle it into bowls for us. I’d scoop a giant amount of shredded parmesan into mine and devour it!
Minestrone also lends itself to a chef’s creativity. There are many different ways to make this to suit everyone’s tastes. You can use fresh or frozen vegetables such as cut green beans or zucchini. Many recipes call for kidney beans, but if that’s not to your liking, cannellini beans are just as satisfying and delicious. This soup wouldb’t be minestrone without the addition of a small past like ditalinni or elbow macaroni. Just before serving, I like to add in a leafy green vegetable like baby spinach or kale and sometimes a squeeze of lemon.
My spin on this soup is to add extra protein in the form of chickpea pasta. Barilla makes a chickpea orzo and it adds extra protein and fiber to the soup. I also like to add in turkey meatballs or sliced Italian-style chicken sausage. It makes the soup a protein-packed main dish.
Finally, soup recipes produce a lot of servings thus making for a great meal-prep option for a week of quick, nutritious and delicious dinners. Just sprinkle with parmesan cheese or top with pesto and a side of bread and you’ve got a high-protein, fiber-rich meal to warm you on chilly fall and winter nights!
Classic Minestrone with a High Protein Twist
High-Protein Minestrone
By Jenny
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 small zucchini, diced (about 1½ cups)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed (substitute with cannellini beans if preferred)
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup small pasta (like orzo or ditalini) look for chickpea past for a GF version of this soup
2 cups chopped kale, spinach, or chard
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Sauté the Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Then add the carrots, celery, and garlic, cooking until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the zucchini, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer: Reduce heat and let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.
4. Cook the Pasta: Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions.
5. Add Greens: Add kale, spinach, or chard in the last few minutes of cooking, stirring until wilted
6. Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan if desired.
Goes great with warm sourdough bread!
