Chunky Minestrone: Inspired by Panera Bread Company
Even though it is not the official start of winter (December 21st), the weather around most of the country is saying that winter is here. Time for warm hearty soups.
Ever been to Panera Bread? Not only do they have an array of delicious sandwiches, which you probably know them for, but they have a fantastic choice of soups. I have always been a fan of Panera and I got a chance to try some of their soups this fall.
The choices include Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean, Low-Fat All Natural Chicken Noodle, French Onion, Vegetarian Creamy Tomato, Broccoli Cheddar, and the list goes on. Tough choices await unless you are in the mood for something specific. On my last visit, I opted for the Low-Fat Vegetarian Garden Vegetable with Pesto. That’s a mouthful of a name, but it was mouthfully delicious.
Mise en Place
Going along with Panera’s “Good Goes In” philosophy, that soup inspired me to make a minestrone.
Minestrone.
Yep, still sounds pretty boring when I say it out loud.
But this recipe was absolutely delicious and far from boring.
Beautiful dark kale.
White beans, cabbage, and noodles.
Just a hint of heat and a lot of perfect.
Enjoy this on your next cold night…which may be tomorrow!
Kitchen Notes:
- Add more water as it simmers (if needed). Keep in mind the noodles will soak up some broth.
- To re-heat, add a little water and season to taste before serving.
Recipe adapted from Eats Well with Others
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 large bunches swiss chard, leaves shredded and stalks roughly chopped
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes (like San Marzano)
- 1/2 head cabbage, heart removed and leaves cut into strips
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans
- 3 cups vegetable broth (plus more if needed)
- salt,black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
- freshly grated parmesan (or vegan parmesan), for garnish
- crushed red pepper, for garnish
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add carrots and onions with a sprinkle of sea salt. Slowly sauté until veggies are soft and flavor has developed.
- Add the garlic and chard stalks. cook for 3 minutes but stir to make sure garlic does not burn.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until reduced.
- Add the beans, half the Swiss chard leaves, half the cabbage, and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add more stock if needed. Season with black pepper, crushed red pepper and sea salt (I used about 2 teaspoons salt).
- Add the remaining Swiss chard and cabbage and cook briefly so they remain green and crisp.
- Garnish with Parmesan and crushed red pepper.
*Disclosure: This post is part of a Panera Bread promotion with The DailyBuzz, however all opinions are my own.
