I think we can finally say that winter has arrived!

Apart from a few sunny days that show up here and there like magic moments, you could say that winter is here {and it's about time – it’s already December}.

Hey – even in Eilat it’s much cooler and I can switch to my winter wardrobe!

And if we’re discussing winter already – is there anything more fun than eating a large bowl of soup that warms up your body when outside the rain is beating down on your windows?

It’s a big treat, isn’t it?

Well OK, I LOVE soups so I’m a bit biased…

Anyway – this time I decided to make minestrone soup, a satisfying and filling Italian soup, with lots of healthy vegetables and some pasta that makes this soup a big and filling meal.

Make sure to prepare the soup more watery than you like because the pasta cooks in the soup and absorbs a large amount of water.

Therefore you should cook the pasta until it’s al dente and not until it mushy because it continues to soften even after you turn off the flame

◄◄ Filling Minestrone Soup ►►

Preparation Time – 30 minutes.

Quantity – 1 big pot.

Ingredients –

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes.
• 1 small package of tomato paste.
• 3 carrots, cut into small cubes.
• 4 celery stalks {without the leaves}, diced.
• 1 large white onion, cut into small cubes.
• 2 zucchinis, cut into small cubes.
• 1 cup of frozen green beans.
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed.
• Half a cup of small pasta.
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano.
• 1 fresh rosemary branch {you can also use half a tablespoon of dried rosemary}.
• 2 dried bay leaves.
• 1 can of large white beans {I accidentally bought the one with tomato sauce, and it was great in the soup, but you could make it without the sauce, too}.
• 6 cups of water.
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Natural soup broth powder {a mix of herbal seasonings} according to taste.
• Salt and pepper.
• Serving suggestion – add parmesan cheese and toasted baguette pieces.

Instructions –  

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry for about two minutes.
2. Add the carrots, celery, zucchini, green beans and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. In a separate glass, mix the tomato paste with boiling water and add it to the pot with 5 cups of water and the canned tomatoes.
4. Now, add the white beans, bay leaves, rosemary, oregano and remaining spices and bring to a boil.
5. When the pot comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook for five minutes {the pasta shouldn’t be very soft because it continues cooking in the soup}.
6. Lower the flame, check the seasoning, and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. If you really want a treat, serve it with grated parmesan cheese and toasted baguette pieces.

Bon Appetit

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