The Best Minestrone Soup Ever!

I love this recipe! I have eaten Minestrone Soup at restaurants and thought I didn’t like it, that is until I altered it, just a bit. We love it now!! It is so versatile, and healthy. Your favorite meats can be added, or it can be vegetarian.  It is easy, soothing, and delicious during winer months, and a healthy delicious soup during the summer time. So come with me and enjoy a healthy delicious bowl of Minestrone Soup!!

Ingredients

• 1 16oz. can Cannellini beans
• 2 Tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Your Choice of Meat: We use 1 Pound Italian Sausage.  Or Omit meat if you are vegan.
• Two diced celery stalks
• 1 medium carrot diced
• 1 large Vidalia onion chopped
• 1 medium zucchini sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced or sliced
• 1/2 head of cabbage cut into 1/2 inch peaces
• 8 cups water
• 1.5 cups V-8 juice
• 2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth for vegans
• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1 bay leaf
•  Parmesan Cheese shredded or grated

Instructions

• Brown sausage or meat of your choice. We love the sausage. Set aside
• Add two tablespoons olive oil in the bottom of the same dutch oven used for browning meat. Combine chopped onions, chopped onion, garlic cloves, carrot, zucchini, and sliced celery in a large bowl, and add to the heated olive oil.
• Sauté vegetables for 5 to ten minutes on medium high, then add cabbage. Sauté for another ten minutes or so on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the cabbage becomes translucent.
• Add meat, beans, water, V-8 juice, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat for another 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender
• Pour into serving bowls, and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
• We like to serve with biscuits or crackers.
• Enjoy!!!