Best Darn Minestrone Soup Around

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 125 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

This creamy minestrone soup recipe makes enough to feed a small army. It tastes very similar to the famous minestrone soup from Lelli's in Detroit.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables, with liquid
4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, with liquid
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
4 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1 Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add mixed vegetables, broth, kidney beans, tomatoes, spinach, and tomato paste; simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours.
2 Use a slotted spoon to transfer about 1/2 of the vegetables to a blender or food processor, reserving the liquid in the stockpot. Purée vegetables until smooth, then return to the pot.
3 Stir in heavy cream, macaroni, garbanzo beans, 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, pepper, basil, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes.
4 Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.