Autumn Harvest Minestrone
Embrace the cozy flavors of fall with this Autumn Harvest Minestrone, a delightful Italian-inspired vegetable soup brimming with seasonal produce and tender orzo pasta. Each bowl is a vibrant medley of garden-fresh vegetables, hearty beans, and enriched with zesty tomatoes, creating a wholesome and satisfying meal perfect for chilly evenings. Serve with warm, crusty bread and finish with a scoop of Italian gelato for a truly comforting dining experience. Ideal for entertaining, this soup is not only nourishing but also visually appealing, making it a centerpiece on your table. Relish in the changing colors of the leaves and the satisfying warmth this dish brings to your home.
N/A
Servings
N/A
Calories
16
Ingredients
Ingredients
olive oil
1 (tablespoon)
onion
1 (large, coarsely chopped)
celery ribs
2 (coarsely chopped)
baby carrots
10 (peeled and thinly sliced)
fresh green beans
1/2 (lb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
fat-free chicken broth
2 (14-ounce cans)
nonfat beef broth
1 (14-ounce can)
stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce can)
tomato sauce
1 (8-ounce can)
cannellini beans
1 (15-19 ounce can)
uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 (cup)
dried Italian seasoning
1 1/2 (teaspoons)
bottled minced garlic
1 (teaspoon)
salt
to taste
pepper
to taste
grated parmesan cheese
6 (tablespoons)
Instructions
1
In a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. As the oil warms, peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it directly to the pot. Stir occasionally to coat the onion with oil.
2
Next, chop the celery and add it to the pot, stirring to combine the ingredients. Thinly slice the baby carrots and add them, mixing well.
3
Prepare the green beans by removing the tough ends and cutting them into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the green beans to the pot, stirring continuously to ensure even cooking.
4
Pour in the fat-free chicken broth and nonfat beef broth, stirring well to combine. Then, add the stewed tomatoes (with their juice), tomato sauce, and cannellini beans (also with juice) into the pot, stirring gently.
5
Add the uncooked orzo pasta to the pot and cover it with a lid. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil, which should take about 5 to 6 minutes.
6
Once the soup reaches a boil, uncover the pot and stir well, ensuring the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom. Add the dried Italian seasoning and minced garlic, stirring until well combined.
7
Continue boiling the soup until the green beans and orzo are tender, approximately 9 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
8
Remove the soup from heat and ladle it into serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese before serving hot.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Autumn Harvest Minestrone?
It is a hearty, Italian-inspired vegetable soup featuring seasonal fall produce, cannellini beans, and orzo pasta.
What kind of pasta is used in this recipe?
The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of uncooked orzo pasta.
What types of broth are needed?
The recipe uses a combination of two 14-ounce cans of fat-free chicken broth and one 14-ounce can of nonfat beef broth.
What vegetables are included in the minestrone?
The soup contains a large onion, celery ribs, baby carrots, and fresh green beans.
How should the green beans be prepared?
Remove the tough ends and cut the green beans into 1/2-inch pieces before adding them to the pot.
What kind of beans are used?
The recipe uses one 15-19 ounce can of cannellini beans.
Do I drain the cannellini beans?
No, the recipe specifies adding the cannellini beans along with their juice.
What type of tomatoes are required?
You will need one 14 1/2-ounce can of stewed tomatoes and one 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
How much olive oil is used to start the soup?
One tablespoon of olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables.
What seasonings are used for flavor?
The soup is seasoned with 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
How long does it take to bring the soup to a boil?
Once all liquids and orzo are added, it takes approximately 5 to 6 minutes to reach a boil over high heat.
How long should the soup boil to cook the pasta?
The soup should boil for about 9 minutes until the green beans and orzo are tender.
What is the recommended garnish?
Each bowl should be garnished with 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese.
What size pot is needed?
A 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or a large soup pot is recommended.
Is this soup considered easy to make?
Yes, it is tagged as 'easy to make' and is suitable for a weeknight dinner.
How many baby carrots are used?
The recipe calls for 10 baby carrots, peeled and thinly sliced.
Can I use bottled garlic?
Yes, the recipe specifically lists one teaspoon of bottled minced garlic.
Is this a one-dish meal?
Yes, this is classified as a one-dish meal as it contains vegetables, protein from beans, and grains from orzo.
What should I serve alongside this soup?
It is best served with warm, crusty bread.
What dessert is recommended to follow this meal?
The description suggests finishing the meal with a scoop of Italian gelato.
How much parmesan cheese is needed in total?
A total of 6 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese is required for garnishing the servings.
Is the onion coarsely chopped or finely minced?
The recipe calls for the onion to be coarsely chopped.
Do I add the stewed tomatoes with their juice?
Yes, the recipe says to add the stewed tomatoes with their juice directly into the pot.
At what heat should I cook the onion?
The onion should be added as the oil warms over medium-high heat.
How many celery ribs are used?
Two celery ribs, coarsely chopped, are used in this minestrone.
What is the total number of ingredients?
There are 16 ingredients in total for this recipe.
Is this soup suitable for vegetarians?
As written, it uses chicken and beef broth, so you would need to swap those for vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.
What gives the soup its 'Autumn Harvest' theme?
The name comes from the use of fresh green beans, carrots, and hearty beans that are popular in fall-inspired comfort foods.
Should the pot be covered while cooking?
The pot should be covered while bringing it to a boil, but uncovered once it reaches a boil to finish cooking the orzo.
Can I adjust the salt and pepper?
Yes, the recipe suggests tasting and seasoning with salt and pepper as desired at the end of the cooking process.