Cozy Minestrone with Artichoke Hearts
The artichoke hearts set this version of the classic Minestrone apart from all the rest.
Ingredients
extra flavorful base:
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 anchovies
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 shallot
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 cups vegetable, chicken or garlic stock (I used Better than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base)
everything else:
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 8 oz frozen quartered artichoke hearts defrosted at least most of the way
- 8 oz drained canned chickpeas
- 10 oz drained kidney beans
- 1 large russet potato, cubed
- 1 bunch mustard greens chopped
- 2 tablespoons canned Hatch green chiles
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons prepared pesto I used some from a shelf-stable jar from Aldi
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning I used a kind in a grinder that includes red pepper flakes
- 1 cup small pasta I used acini de pepe
Instructions
for the super flavorful broth:
- Pulse the anchovy, garlic, shallot, olive oil, and tomatoes in a blender until nearly fully smooth. Stir into the broth/stock and set aside.
for the rest of the soup:
- In a very large pot, saute the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened and fragrant, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the stock mixture, artichokes, beans, potato, greens, chiles, and tomatoes, and simmer until the greens and artichokes are tender about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the pesto, seasoning, and pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The anchovy, garlic, olive oil, tomato mixture from the soup base makes a great pizza sauce--no need to cook it! Double the recipe and keep half in a jar up to five days.
- Cook the pasta separately if you are planning to have leftovers so it doesn't soak up all the broth overnight. Or just thin the leftovers out with more stock or water when you go to serve.