Super Soup: Vegetable Bean Soup

I love soup. Seriously. It's kind of an Autumn and winter addiction of mine. A soup loaded with flavor, a slice of crusty bread on the side? Mmmm...that, my friends, is comfort food at its finest. So, I'll be sharing some of my favorite soup recipes over the next few weeks. Add these to your weeknight menu for some serious flavor in short order.

Vegetable Bean Soup
{This recipe was in my binder, but was torn out of a magazine and there are no labels or anything that tell me which magazine it was. However, it says "Recipe by Relish Chef Jon Ashton."}  I made it exactly as written this time and it was delicious, but next time I might toss in some chopped fresh basil.


3 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 (14 oz.) can no-salt-added chopped tomatoes, undrained
2 (15 oz.) cans no-salt-added Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, optional

Place bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes or until almost crisp. Add onion, celery and carrots; cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, broth and pepper. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook 1-2 minutes until wilted. Top bowls of soup with grated cheese, if desired.

Buon appetito!

xo, April