How to Make a Pasta, Vegetable and Bean Soup

Most kids don't like to eat vegetables, but this is a great healthy soup that will get even your children to enjoy them. This soup is very thick and hearty, and quite simple to make. Make this soup on a cold winter evening to warm up your whole family.

Things You'll Need

• Small sauce pan
• ½ cup lentils
• 3 ½ cups water
• Strainer
• 4 oz. baby portabella mushrooms
• Knife
• Large stock Pot
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot diced
• 2 onions diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
• ½ cup canned red kidney beans (rinsed)
• ½ cup canned chickpeas (rinsed)
• ½ tbsp. crushed red pepper
• ½ tbsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 cup dried rigatoni
• grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Pasta, Vegetable and Bean Soup

1. Place lentils in small saucepan with 2 cups water over high heat. When water comes to a boil, lower to a simmer. Simmer lentils for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain lentils, set aside.

2. Chop the mushrooms into pieces small enough to scoop up with a spoon. Set those aside.

3. In your large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots to the oil. Cook for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

4. Add the vegetable stock and the remaining 1 1/2 cup water, stir until vegetables are evenly distributed throughout the liquid. Add mushrooms to stock. Raise heat to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil.

5. Once liquid boils, add diced tomatoes, red beans, chickpeas and lentils to the soup mixture. Lower heat and stir. Add red pepper, black pepper and parsley to the soup. Cover and simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes.

6. Add pasta to the soup, return heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes.

7. Ladle into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Tips & Warnings

• For a little spice, add 1/2 tbsp. crushed red pepper.

• Make this recipe even easier by throwing all the ingredients in a crock pot for 8 hours on low.

References

• Cooks.com