There is nothing quite as comforting as the slow simmer of soup on a blustery winter day. This winter I am compiling some of my favorite soup recipes to share with my Repertoire of Ease group and this one is sooooooo yummy I thought I’d share it here as well.

Minestrone Soup

1⁄2 lb. diced bacon
2 onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1⁄4 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1 16 oz. can or bottle garbanzo beans, drained
1⁄2 cup frozen peas
1 1⁄2 cups tomatoes, chopped
6 cups beef stock, chicken stock, or magic mineral broth
1⁄2 teaspoon basil
1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup Ditalini pasta (optional)

Brown bacon and onion in a large pot. 
Add all chopped vegetables and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Add rest of ingredients except pasta, and simmer. 
In a separate pot, bring water to boiling point, add pasta and cook 10-15 minutes or until al dente

Place a generous scoop of pasta in each bowl and cover with soup. 

Note: You want to keep the pasta separate, particularly if you are going to freeze the leftovers because the pasta will absorb the broth. 

Adapt: If you follow a plant-based diet you can easily leave out the bacon and sauté the onion in olive oil or ghee (clarified butter).

Serve with grated Parmesan. (My favorite is Pecorino Romano.)

Source: Adapted slightly from my sister Mary Jane Mees! This is a Christmas Even tradition.