Minestrone soup is everything during the cold months. The tomato base brings so much richness and depth of flavor, and with the addition of white beans and vegetables, it makes for a very healthy meal. Pro tip–make your homemade vegetable broth with all the scraps from the vegetables that go into the soup. This will save you money and make the soup even healthier!
If using dried beans, soak them overnight, making sure to change the water every few hours. Boil then simmer them for about an hour while the soup is cooking.
Chop up carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Make sure the carrots and celery are the same sizes so they cook evenly together.
Start by sauteing the carrots and celery together for about 10 minutes. Then, add in the onions and garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add in a can of whole peeled tomatoes as well as dried oregano, dried basil, dried sage, and chili flakes. Allow this to cook together for another 10 minutes.
Pour in store-bought or homemade broth and bring the liquid to a boil, then add in 2 bay leaves.
Then, bring it down to a simmer and add in the beans and curly kale.
If you want to add pasta, make it now but store separately from the soup.
When the pasta is done cooking, the soup is ready to eat!
