Italian Vegetable Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 10 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large celery ribs, chopped
• 1 cup celery leaves
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 large carrot, scrubbed and chopped
• 15 fluid ounces red kidney beans, including liquid
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh green beans
• 1 large celery rib, chopped small
• 1/2 cup tiny peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 medium zucchini, cubed 1/2 inch (about 6" long)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped small
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed 1/2 inch
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup fresh basil, lightly packed then chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can plum tomatoes, including liquid
• 1/2 cup coca-cola (optional)
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons chicken soup base (optional)
• 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 broth: in a large cooking pot, add water, salt, onion, celery and celery leaves, bay leaf and carrot.
• 2 bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
• 3 remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• 4 strain liquid and return to cooking pot, discarding the solids.
• 5 in the meantime, prepare all vegetables.
• 6 vegetable broth should measure 8 cups of liquid, if required, add additional water to make up the difference and bring to boil.
• 7 ingredients: add kidney beans, green beans, celery, green peas, zucchini, carrots, onion, potato, parsley, garlic, tomatoes including liquid (crush tomatoes), coca-cola, worcestershire sauce, chicken soup base, italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.
• 8 return to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• 9 adjust seasonings to taste.
• 10 serve soup sprinkled with parmesan cheese.