Italian Vegetable Soup with Beans, Spinach & Pesto
Description
Cannellini beans and a plethora of vegetables - bell peppers, carrots, celery, potatoes, peas, and spinach - make this healthy soup hearty and satisfying.
Ingredients
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1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 large onion, cut into small dice
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3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
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3 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
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1 medium bell pepper (red or yellow), stemmed, seeded and cut into medium dice
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1 pound all-purpose potatoes, unpeeled and cut into medium dice
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1 (16 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
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2 (15 1/2 ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, undrained
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6 cups low-sodium chicken broth in can or carton
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7 ounces loosely packed baby spinach
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1 cup frozen green peas
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Salt and ground black pepper
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Prepared pesto (found in grocer's refrigerated section)
Directions
1
Heat oil in a soup kettle over medium-high flame. Add onions, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, bean and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Add spinach and peas; continue to simmer until spinach wilts, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, adding a spoonful of pesto to each serving of soup.
2
For lunch, pack soup in separate leakproof containers. Warm soup in microwave and top with pesto.