For throwback Thursday I am serving up one of my hubby’s favorite soups! When we go to the Olive Garden he will sometimes get this soup! This is my version of the recipe so that he could enjoy the great flavors of minestrone soup all winter long! 
Minestrone soup is one of my favorites because it is packed with protein,pasta and lots of wonderful veggies. For my minestrone soup I use a two types of beans, rotini pasta, and veggies of all colors! The secret of the soup is the Parmesan rind, it adds great flavor and color to the soup. I take the rind out before serving and it becomes a little melted and stringy but still great to enjoy with the bread. I serve this colorful,tasty soup alongside fresh-baked Parmesan Garlic Herb foccacia bread.
Minestrone Soup
{print this soup}
2 Tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
28 ounce diced tomatoes
32 ounce of vegetable broth
1 cup any type pasta, cooked al dente
1 cup navy or cannellini beans
1 cup of pinto or kidney beans
1 cup of cut green beans
1 cup chopped spinach or kale
1 Parmesan rind
2 bay leaves
3 Tablespoons of Italian seasonings
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to put on top of soup
In soup pot heat oil and saute garlic
Add in carrots,celery,and onion and saute
Stir in the tomatoes
Add the broth
Add the Parmesan rind
Allow to simmer for 15 min.
Stir in the beans, allow to simmer for 15 min.
Stir in the green (spinach or kale), and pasta.
Allow to simmer 10 more min.
Serve and Enjoy 🙂
**I find that if there are leftovers and we are able to enjoy the soup for another day that it loses some of the juice. So, I add 1 or 2 cups of vegetable broth to liven it back up :-)**
Heat Oil and saute garlic,carrots,celery,and onions.
Stir in tomatoes
Add the broth, beans,green,pasta,seasonings.
Parmesan Garlic Herb Foccacia Bread
1 cup room temp water
1/3 olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
Topping:
1/4 olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/3 minced garlic
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
I make the dough for the foccacia bread in the bread machine and so all the work is pretty much done! If you don’t have a bread machine, you can dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water and then mix all the ingredients together in the order listed. Mix until the dough formed is pulling away from the bowl. Take out and knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Cover and all to rise for an hour. Follow instructions below.
With oiled hands, evenly press dough into a greased 9×13 dish. Using your fingertips make indentations into the dough.
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
While the dough is rising…
Heat oil in a skillet and stir in oregano and garlic. Remove from heat immediately
Spoon over the dough and spread out evenly.
Sprinkle the cheese over top
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
Enjoy 🙂
With oiled hands, evenly press dough into pan, with your fingertips make indentations in the dough
Cover and allow dough to rise for 30 minutes until doubled in size
Heat oil in pan,add oregano and garlic. Spread evenly over dough
Sprinkle cheese over top
Bake at 400 for 20 min or until golden brown
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