Italian Vegetable Soup

Traditional Italian
Vegetable Soup

A traditional Italian vegetable soup is the perfect healthy, nutritious and delicious way to feed your hearts and your bellies. I like to make mine with Anelli pasta shape and freshly grated parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil.

Anelli is a small round circular pasta and although ditalini or pastini pasta shapes are traditionally used for Italian soup recipes this pasta is a fun and creative pasta and makes a great appearance for serving. We eat with our eyes first.

What stock do you use? That's the big question. You can use any one you prefer for this Italian soup recipe.

Chicken Stock Recipe
Beef Stock Recipe
Vegetable Stock Recipe

Chicken stock will give it a smooth mild flavor but the beef stock is a great alternative hearty flavor.

You can toss in the kitchen sink when it comes to this Italian soup. I use all the favorite vegetables.

Ingredients

cup of anelli pasta cooked al dente
4 cups of stock
cup chopped onions
4 cloves of sliced garlic
cup of broccoli florets
cup of cauliflower florets
cup diced carrots
cup diced celery
cup of diced potatoes
cup of rinsed and chopped escarole
4 1 inch slices of crusty Italian bread
5 fresh basil leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil to drizzle
Olive oil for brushing the bread
Grated parmigiano for the table

Preparation

Saute the onions and garlic in a saute pan with a drizzle of olive oil, until tender.

Boil a small pot of water and add the anelli pasta. Drain and set aside until you're ready to add to your soup recipe.

Brush the slices of bread with olive oil and toast until golden brown.

Make your stock fresh of use some that you've stored. Heat the stock until boiling and toss in the potatoes, the carrots, the sauteed onions and garlic and simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Now add the rest of your vegetables. That way all the vegetables will cook evenly rather then some being mushy and some being too crunchy. Simmer until vegetables are cooked and tender.

Serve a small amount of the anelli in bowls and pour the Italian vegetable soup over the pasta. Place the bread crouton in the center of the bowl and drizzle olive oil around it.