Gen's Quick Minestrone/Vegetable Soup
Why I Love This Recipe
FEATURING: Kohlrabi (bulb and leaves), white turnips, kale (and/or any other greens you have), garlic scapes (or garlic), and onion.
A quick recipe that my kids love eating and helping me make by chopping the veggies for me! I often put barley instead of pasta, in which case the cooking time is longer (approx. 45 min or more).
Ingredients You'll Need
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2-3 garlic scapes, chopped (or 2 garlic bulbs, peeled and chopped)
1-2 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and diced (remove the leaves and chop them and set aside)
2 medium white turnips and diced
3-4 kale leaved, chopped in thin ribbons (chiffonnade)(approx. 3 cups)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with its liquid (or 2 small 15-ounce cans)
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth (or water)
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
2 bay leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup elbow or small shell pasta
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
Directions
Heat up olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and sautée a few minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and sautée 1 min more. Add the diced kohlrabi bulb, diced white turnips, kohlrabi leaves and kale and sautéed 2 min more. Add the tomatoes and add the bay leaves, the oregano and basil, salt and pepper and sautée a few min (ex. 5 min), until the vegetables become soft but firm. Now add the vegetable broth, water and pasta and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for approx. 10-12 min. Add kidney beans and cook 5 min more. Check pasta- if cooked (soft and tender), turn off heat. Serve (make sure to remove bay leaves first) and enjoy!
