Tuscan Vegetable Soup
I am absolutely obsessed with Italian spices, particularly oregano and basil. While in America we usually use ground herbs in our soups, those in Italy usually pick it fresh from their garden. Dried herbs actually carry more flavor than fresh herbs, so you don’t have to use as much of them. If you use dried herbs, you’ll want to use 1/2 the amount in terms of teaspoons; for example, if the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of fresh basil, then you should use 1 teaspoon of dried. Of course, you’ll want to use dried herbs if the fresh herbs aren't in season, and dried herbs only last about a year until they lose their flavor or freshness.
Here’s my version of Tuscan vegetable soup. I added in turnip because I saw they were in season, which was a fun add to the dish. This recipe serves ~ 8 people (or myself for 4 days). It should be noted that I don’t peel my veggies because the skin contains so many nutrients.
_________________ Ingredients: _________________
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 carrots, washed and diced into chunks (about 1 cup)
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup)
5 stalks of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium zucchini, halved long-ways and diced into small chunks (about 1.5 cups)
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 turnip, halved long-ways and diced into small chunks (<1/4 cup)
3 Roma tomatoes, diced into medium chunks
1 teaspoon of dried parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper
32-ounces no-salt added vegetable broth
1 small handful of fresh kale (bought in the package or chopped medium fine)
1 14.5-ounce can of pinto beans (keep the water)
Organic shredded Parmesan cheese; I really like Organic Valley
Siete Chips + fresh oregano for topping if you’re me :)
_________________ Recipe: _________________
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, zucchini, turnip, garlic, and spices and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender - about 8 minutes.
Add in the vegetable broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, add in the pinto beans (with the juice) and lower to medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Add in kale. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 3 minutes more.
Serve hot with chips, cheese, and fresh herbs.