This is a wonderful recipe, that I have had since the mid '70's. I got it from 'Sunset Magazine' (regional to the northwest). Some friends have said that it is better than Olive Gardens Minestrone Soup. Makes LOTS!
Suggestion ~ slice, dice, and chop everything before you start cooking.
Serves 16 - 20
Use 10 - 12 qt (or larger!) soup kettle.
1/4 lb minced Salt Pork (I have substituted bacon)
3 minced Garlic cloves
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 diced Carrots
1 diced large Onion
3 cups diced Celery
1 6 oz. can Tomato Paste
4 quarts Water
3 Beef Bouillon Cubes
1 1/2 tbsp Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper (have used black)
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Thyme
2 peeled diced Potatoes
1/2 head chopped Cabbage
2 seeded diced Green Peppers
2 diced Zucchini
1 bunch finely chopped Spinach
3/4 cooked Elbow Macaroni (1/3 cup uncooked)
1 12 oz can Tomatoes
1 12 oz can Garbanzo Beans (aka Chickpeas)
1 12 oz can Red Kidney Beans
In a 10 - 12 qt soup kettle, saute salt pork and garlic in very hot olive oil.
Add carrots, onion and celery. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes
Add tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add water and bring to a full boil for 5 minutes.
Add beef bouillon and seasoning - mix well.
Add potatoes, cabbage and green pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
Turn heat to medium low. Add zucchini and spinach. Cook until all vegetables are tender.
Add cooked macaroni, tomatoes, and beans. Heat through
This can be frozen, BUT you must omit the macaroni, because it turns to mush when frozen/thawed.
Humorous addition ~ I had DH fax it to my friend that I was visiting. The original copy was so bad that he had to re-write the whole recipe
So he added this last line. "Slowly feed mess down garbage disposal. Order pizza! But he also loves this soup
