Minestrone Soup

Over the weekend I made a big pot of beef and cannellini bean minestrone soup. Evan got some new hardware for his braces and needed to eat soft foods, so soup was right up our alley. I found this recipe in one of Giada's cookbooks, and I absolutely love it. Easy to make and very, very tasty. I hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 rib celery, trimmed and diced into 1/4-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces lean (8 percent fat) ground beef

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 dried bay leaf

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot and celery and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the ground beef and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. 

Stir in the tomato paste and mix to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan.