Categories: soup, vegan

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried beans, soaked overnight and rinsed [I used cannelini beans]
• 2 cups green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 or 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 cups vegetable stock, plus more if needed [I recommend Better Than Boullion brand]
• 1 T dried thyme
• 3 T dried parsely
• A handful of small pasta [I used orzo]
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• About a cup of your favorite pesto
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for the gourmandes

Directions

1. Combine the beans, vegetables, bay leaf, and stock into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer for several hours over a low flame, adding stock as needed. I simmered mine for about 2 hours. The longer it cooks, the more the flavors meld and the more “grandma-like” it will taste. [My grandmother used to simmer soup for hours over her coal stove.]

2. About 15 minutes before you serve the soup, toss in the herbs and pasta. Adjust the seasonings.

3. To serve, ladle into bowls and top each serving with a healthy dollop of pesto. Be sure to set a small pitcher of best-quality olive oil on the table for drizzling.

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