One-pot Fall Minestrone Soup
Though I love fall - the colors! the crunch of leaves! the scarves! the whiskey-laden warm drinks! - the change of seasons often leaves me feeling a bit under the weather (pun intended). I know I'm not alone in this phenomena, and apparently science supports this: cooler weather and temperature shifts allow different/new strains of the rhinovirus and coronavirus (those nasty little guys behind the common cold) to proliferate and sicken people, as we don't yet have immunity to these strains.
Luckily for us sickies, October is an amazing month for produce - summer veggies are still abundant at the farmers market but fall crops are sneaking in. And, when faced with myriad choices of gorgeous, colorful produce, I do what any self-respecting woman with no impulse control would do - I buy everything. And I mean everything. Luckily, all my purchases fit beautifully into this nourishing, satisfying soup. Brimming with vitamins and goodness, this soup is sure to (at least temporarily) clear any stuffed nose or relieve any sore throat. But you need not reserve this recipe for times of illness - it makes a delightful, hearty lunch or pair with some lightly dressed greens and crusty bread for an easy dinner.
Per usual, this isn't a hard and fast recipe. You could swap a pint of fresh tomatoes for the canned, add green beans, sprinkle in grated Parmesan, use white beans instead of the chickpeas, omit the carrots - anything really. Use what you have on hand, or whatever looks best at the market - squashes abound at the market this time of year and would be a great addition. And, one note re. technique: try to chop your celery, onion and carrots the same size so they cook evenly.
Happy souping!
One-pot Fall Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, diced
1 small celery heart, diced
3 small or 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
14 oz can cherry tomatoes
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup small pasta shells (optional)
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 oz basil, slivered (about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
To the pot, add the onion, celery, carrots and thyme, and cook until the veggies are soft - about seven to 10 minutes - stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits as you go.
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another thirty seconds. Pour in the canned tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil.
When the soup is boiling, add in the pasta and cook til desired tenderness (I like mine al-dente - usually about seven minutes).
When pasta is cooked, reduce the heat to medium and stir in the chickpeas and basil. Serve warm.
