This is one of Kevin's most favorite soups. I hadn't made it in awhile, so I thought it would be fun to whip up for lunches, and this time it turned out especially good. I think it's because I added a good pinch of hot pepper flakes, and I used Mott's Garden Cocktail instead of V-8 juice. Don't get me wrong, I love V-8 juice, but somehow the Garden Cocktail added much more flavor. The bonus is that this soup is so amazingly easy, you'll wonder why you've never made it before.
If you pair this up with grilled cheese sandwiches, it's a delicious meal!
Adapted from Crazy Plates
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes and juice
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups Mott's Garden Cocktail juice
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup green cabbage, chopped fine
1 cup zucchini, chopped
1 can (14-19 oz) kidney beans (or chick peas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dry whole wheat macaroni
1 bay leaf
2 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch hot pepper flakes
In a good sized soup pot, add a bit of olive oil and let it heat up before you dump in your onions, celery, and garlic. Stir and let it cook until the veggies are softened up.
Next, just add everything but the beans and the macaroni. Stir it all in and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, partially cover, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Stir in the macaroni and beans, and simmer 10 minutes more until the pasta is tender.
Serve!
Makes 8 servings
