Simple Vegetable Soup

Simple Vegetable Soup

Serves 4


Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 stock of celery
10-12 baby carrots or 1 large carrot
3 minced garlic cloves
2 red potatoes or 1 large russet potato
1 zucchini
2 roma tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 ½ water
½ cup dried pasta
1 teaspoon basil pesto
¼ teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
First, prepare all of the vegetables. Thinly slice 1 stock of celery, and 10-12 baby carrots, mince the garlic cloves, dice the 2 red potatoes, quarter the zucchini, and dice the 2 tomatoes.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pot at medium heat.
Then add the chopped celery, carrots, minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper – you will use the rest at the end.
Then add 2 ½ cups vegetable broth, 1 ½ cups water, and the 2 diced red potatoes, and turn the heat to high until it begins to boil then turn the heat down to medium high.
Once the potatoes begin to become tender – about 5-8 minutes – add the zucchini and the pasta.
Then once all of the vegetables are tender, add the diced tomato and spinach. Also, add 1 teaspoon basil pesto, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon crushed dried basil – crushing the dried basil helps bring out more flavor.
Continue to let simmer for at least 5-10 minutes or until you are ready to eat.
Enjoy with a sprinkling of black pepper and parmesan cheese.
Notes
*You could always cook the pasta separately if you know you are going to let the soup simmer for a while and you are worried it might become to mushy – or if you like to have the ability to add as much or as little pasta to each serving.


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