Hearty Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Onion (1 medium, diced)
• Carrot (1 large, diced)
• Celery (2 stalks, diced)
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
• Zucchini (1 medium, diced)
• Canned diced tomatoes (1 (14.5-ounce) can)
• Vegetable broth (6 cups)
• Cannellini beans (1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed)
• Kidney beans (1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed)
• Green beans (1 cup, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• Ditalini pasta (1 cup)
• Dried basil (1 teaspoon)
• Dried oregano (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Fresh parsley (1/4 cup, chopped (for garnish))
• Grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup (for serving))

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and aromatic.
3. Stir in the diced zucchini, canned diced tomatoes (with their juices), vegetable broth, cannellini beans, kidney beans, green beans, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
5. While the soup simmers, cook the ditalini pasta according to package instructions in a separate pot. Drain and set aside.
6. After 20 minutes, add the cooked ditalini pasta to the soup and stir to combine, heating through for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese before serving.