Vegetarian Minestrone Soup for the Winter (Vegan-Friendly!)

• olive oil↗2 tablespoons
• onion, thinly sliced↗1
• garlic cloves, minced↗2

  (2 tsp minced garlic)

• diced tomatoes1

  (14 ounce)

• chopped sage1 tablespoon

  (can be fresh or dried)

• fresh flat-leaf parsley↗2 tablespoons
• stalk celery, thinly sliced↗1
• carrot, diced↗1
• vegetable stock↗3 1⁄2 cups
• salt and pepper

  to taste

• uncooked macaroni↗1⁄2 cup
• great northern beans, rinsed and drained↗1

  (15 ounce)

• green peas↗1 cup

  (the frozen kind)

• parmesan cheese↗2 tablespoons

  (preferably freshly grated)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.

2. 2

   Slightly lower the heat. Add the tomatoes, sage, and flat-leaf parsley and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Add the macaroni, carrot, celery, and northern beans and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the macaroni is somewhat tender.

6. 6

   Stir in the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Stir in the parmesan cheese.

8. 8

   If serving with bread like hunks of garlic bread or ciabattas, place the bread in individual serving bowls and let stand for a few minutes and serve with plenty of extra parmesan cheese.

9. 9

   I thought it went nice with some fresh-baked garlic bread!