Terrific Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Terrific Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Warm up with a healthy Italian-style soup: A meal both filling and fulfilling.

 

This is Ellie Krieger’s Tuscan Vegetable Soup. / Photo by Renee Comet for USA WEEKEND. Food Styling by Lisa Cherkasky.

Written by

Ellie Krieger

• One 15.5-ounce can cannellini or other small white beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• ½ large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
• 1 small zucchini (about ½ pound), diced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
• 1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 2 tsps. chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp. dried
• ½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed), chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated 1/3 Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with the Parmesan, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

I thought this soup sounded terrific, except for the spinach.  I don't usually like cooked spinach, and considered not adding it, but decided to try the recipe the way that Ellie had written it.  I am so glad I did!  This soup is delicious!!!  Definitely a keeper!

Per serving: 143 calories, 20g carbohydrates, 8g protein, 4g fat (0.5g saturated), 5g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 323mg sodium

Recipe reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Taunton Press Inc., from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, by Ellie Krieger. Copyright by Ellie Krieger.

Krieger, Ellie. "Terrific Tuscan Vegetable Soup." Www.usaweekend.com. 23 Feb. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20120224/FOOD04/302240005/Recipe-Terrific-Tuscan-Vegetable-Soup?odyssey=nav|head