Italian-inspired vegetable soup

Total Time: 50 min Prep: 30 min Cook: 20 min Serves: 12

Difficulty: Easy

Chockfull of vegetables, this is one heck of a bowl of soup. Toss in white beans or chopped shrimp or chicken to bulk up this brothy, nourishing soup for a heartier lunch or dinner. This soup uses a wide mix of vegetables that all cook quickly, which keeps the total time for this recipe on the shorter side for a simmered soup. The mix of fresh herbs give the broth a more complex flavor. You can sprinkle on Parmesan cheese for extra flavor, if you like. Serve each bowl with a piece of French bread to sop up the flavorful broth

Ingredients

Escarole

2 cup(s), chopped

Fresh spinach

2 cup(s), baby leaves

Uncooked zucchini

2 small, cubed

Uncooked fennel bulb(s)

1 medium, thinly sliced

Sweet red pepper(s)

1 medium, chopped

Uncooked onion(s)

1 cup(s), chopped

Garlic clove(s)

2 medium clove(s), minced

Fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth

6 cup(s)

Canned diced tomatoes

28 oz, preferably fire-roasted

Fresh thyme

2 tsp, finely chopped

Fresh oregano

1 tsp, finely chopped

Crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp

Table salt

¾ tsp, or to taste

Black pepper

¼ tsp, or to taste

Fresh parsley

¼ cup(s), chopped

Basil

¼ cup(s), fresh, leaves

Instructions

1. Put escarole, spinach, zucchini, fennel, red pepper, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano and red pepper flakes into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, partly covered, for about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in salt, black pepper, parsley and basil. Serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.