Roasted Vegetable Minestrone

We have all been struggling with terrible colds this week so I made a big pot of minestrone soup. I decided to roast the veggies before adding them to the soup for extra flavor. It was so simple to make, took very little time, and was enjoyed by each of us. My son especially loved it and asked for the leftovers for his lunch the following day.

Roasted Vegetable Minestrone:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking

• 2 tsp olive oil plus more for drizzling on roasted veggies
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained
• 8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 - 1 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 cup of ditalini pasta
• 2 cups kale, chopped
• 6-7 basil leaves, chiffonade
• Shaved Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil (for easier clean up) and coat it with cooking spray. Add the carrots to the baking sheet, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and roast in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the baking sheet with the carrots, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, then roast in the oven for 3-5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside.

Heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery then sauté for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes, beans, chicken broth, oregano, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste and the ditalini pasta. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. Add the kale, chopped basil, and roasted vegetables. Taste and re-season if needed. Serve with shaved Parmesan on top. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net