👨‍🍳 Daddy in the Kitchen: Leftish Meat-Free Minestrone

I play right into the stereotype.

All this burger-pizza-taco talk gives a boy a reputation. There are worse reps, yes. Like, kale-edamame-tofu. Blech. But even we hardcore enchilada chompers veer off script.

It’s like Metallica doing a cover of The Carpenters – strange, but you can’t look away.

Recently, I wiped the graham cracker crumbs off my shirt and made minestrone. That’s a soup, for all you less-refined. I guess you can call it minestrone soup.

But that’s kind of like going to the ATM machine – or making fun of lame dodgers fans. #DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment

The book Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 inspired this recipe, but I didn’t copy it. Even if I did, the book is SECRET recipes. I’m pretty sure they pissed off Olive Garden first.

Coach Daddy’s Leftist Meat-Free Minestrone

For Meatless Monday (or, Meatless Minute, in our house), this is a fine choice. This recipe yields about eight 1 ½-cup servings for liberals to share amongst themselves. Or about 5 servings for hungry Republicans.

What you’ll need:

 

3 tablespoons olive oil	1 145-oz can diced tomatoes 🍅
1 cup minced onion	1/2 cup shredded carrot 🥕
1/2 cup chopped zucchini	2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 cup frozen green beans	1 1/2 teaspoons salt 🧂
1/4 cup minced celery	1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons minced garlic	3 cups hot water
4 cups vegetable broth	4 cups baby spinach (fresh or thawed)
2 15-oz cans of red kidney beans, drained	1/2 cup seashell pasta
2 15-oz cans Great Northern beans

 

What you’ll do:

In a large saucepan, saute celery, garlic, green beans, onion, zucchini in olive oil for 5 minutes. *Don’t go full time if onions are starting to be see-through Add broth, carrot, drained beans, tomatoes, spices, and hot water. 

Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes. Add pasta and spinach. Cook for 20 more minutes or until soup is as thick as you want

The verdict

The family killed this one quick. I didn’t include bay leaves. 🍃 I’m sure they add flavor but it feels like hedge clippings in my soup bowl.

It was a hit. 1 1/2 F words out of 5 on the Dammit this is Hard Scale. A little bit of pesto, Italian bread and wine and you’re in business. You can make tacos tomorrow.

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