This is one of those recipes that has been in my family for a long time. I can remember my mom making a pot of this for Sunday dinner, and our mouths would be watering just smelling it simmering on the stove all afternoon. It was all we could do but wait for it to be ready, only to scoop up a big bowl, pile it with freshly grated romano cheese, and savor every bite. My family loves this soup too. I love it because besides all the chopping of the veggies, it is really easy to make, and filling since it is filled with all those veggies you had to chop. It is really flavorful, and the leftovers are even better! Sometimes I even change it up and add some crumbled Italian sausage or some delicious homemade meatballs. Keep it veggie friendly if you like, but if you are craving a little more protein, add your favorite to the soup and enjoy!
You will want to make a big batch and freeze some for another time. It takes a little while to prep and cook, but every bite is so worth it. Don’t leave out the thyme or the leek. They may seem insignificant, but their flavor seriously makes the soup.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 leek, washed and sliced thin
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp. dried thyme
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes, undrained
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- salt pepper to taste
- 1¼ cup white beans
- Fresh, hot cooked pasta
- Pecorino Romano cheese for sprinkling
- Heat olive oil oil in large pot.
- Add garlic, onion, leek, parsley and thyme and cook until soft.
- Add tomato paste with two cans of water and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients except beans.
- Simmer, covered for 1 hour.
- Add beans and heat.
- Serve over hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese.
- Note : Cutting a leek can be challenging if you have never done it before. First, cut of the rough green stem. then slice the white part in half. Rinse WELL. Place flat part down on cutting board. Slice the long way twice and then slice across all the way down the leek. Repeat with other half.
- Note: Do not mix soup with pasta when storing. The pasta will soak up all of the liquid in the soup which will leave with more of a pasta dish when you come back to it the next day. This is also very tasty, but if you were hoping for soup, it can be a bit unexpected. Store soup and pasta separately.
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