Dene's Minestrone Soup

(This is one that can change as your pantry does.  The starred items (*) are things I think you simply must have.  The rest can vary according to your taste or what you have on hand.)  This recipe is meant to complement "An Expensive Bowl of Soup" which was originally posted 8/17/12.  You can find it in the August 2012 archives.

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Step 1 Ingredients:
  • 2-3 Tbs olive oil 
  • 1 large white onion, peeled and chopped*
  • 2 or 3 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped, leaves too*
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded, ribbed and chopped
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced*
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 large red potato, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup green beans
  • I zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced about ½ in thick 
  • ½ head of cabbage, cored, and thinly sliced*
Process for step 1:

Put a 5-6 qt Dutch oven on a medium low burner with 2-3 Tbsps of olive oil in it.  

Then start chopping. Add each step 1 ingredient as you finish chopping them, stopping to stir with each addition.
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Step 2 ingredients:
  • 1 qt home-canned tomatoes (or one 28 oz can, undrained)*
  • ½ lb (about 2 links) Italian sausage, thinly sliced*
  • enough chicken stock to reach the top layer*
  • 1 tbsp salt*
  • ½ tsp black pepper*
  • generous handful of fresh basil, coarsely chopped*
  • 1 -2 tbsp of fresh oregano or marjoram, chopped
Process for step 2

When the onions are translucent, add the step 2 ingredients.

Bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook about a half hour, or until the cabbage and potatoes are tender.  
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Step 3 ingredients:

  • one 19 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed*
  • 1-2 cups of short pasta, cooked (penne, macaroni, etc)*
Process for step 3
Add the beans and pasta. Heat through and taste for seasoning. Serve with grated parmagiana reggiano and crusty bread.

Note: It will get better every time you reheat it.  However, if you know you will be reheating more than once, you might cook the pasta, and then keep it separate, adding some to each bowl as it is served so it won’t get mushy.