Minestrone soup recipe

A cholesterol-free version of this classic Italian vegetable soup is brimming with fiber-rich beans, peas and carrots.

Prep time: 15 minutes;

Cook time: 1 hour

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced, or ⅛ tsp. garlic powder
• 1⅓ cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1½ cup coarsely chopped celery and leaves
• 1 can (6 oz.) no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup sliced carrots, fresh or frozen
• 4¾ cups shredded cabbage
• 1 can (1 lb.) no-salt-added tomatoes, cut up
• 1 can (15½ oz.) low-sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½ cup frozen peas
• 1½ cup fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Dash hot sauce
• 11 cups water
• 2 cups spaghetti, finely broken, uncooked

Directions

1. Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan.
2. Add garlic, onion and celery and sauté about 5 minutes.
3. Add all remaining ingredients except spaghetti, and stir until ingredients are well mixed.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
5. Add uncooked spaghetti and simmer 2 to 3 minutes only. Serve warm.

Nutritional information per 1 cup serving: Calories 153; Total fat 4 g; Saturated fat less than 1 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 191 mg.

Recipe courtesy of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute