Best Darn Minestrone Soup Around

This creamy minestrone soup recipe makes enough to feed a small army. It tastes very similar to the famous minestrone soup from Lelli's in Detroit.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 587 Calories

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 4 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
• 4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 4 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables, with liquid
• 2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, with liquid
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1.5 cups chopped onions
• 4.25 teaspoons garlic powder

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add mixed vegetables, broth, kidney beans, tomatoes, spinach, and tomato paste; simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours.

Step 2

Use a slotted spoon to transfer about 1/2 of the vegetables to a blender or food processor, reserving the liquid in the stockpot. Purée vegetables until smooth, then return to the pot.

Step 3

Stir in heavy cream, macaroni, garbanzo beans, 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, pepper, basil, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.