Creamy Minestrone soup
24 oz. beef broth (I’ve used vegetable stock with no noticeable difference in taste)
1 pack/10 oz frozen chopped spinach (fresh works too if you don’t mind chopping)
1 C. macaroni (shells are my favorite for this soup, but anything works. Medium to small pasta works best)
1 can condensed tomato soup (see notes below)
4 C. milk
1 1/2 C. sliced & quartered zucchini – about 2 medium
1 tsp. dried oregano (a good handful if you use fresh)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (I usually mince up 3 cloves, but we love garlic)
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled (optional)
Place beef broth and spinach in a large saucepan or dutch oven; cook over low heat until spinach is thawed, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package directions. Rinse and drain well. (I usually only cook the macaroni for about 1/2 of the suggested time – it holds up better in the soup that way)
To the pot, add tomato soup and tomato paste, milk, zucchini, oregano, garlic and macaroni. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Sitr in cheddar cheese until melted. Garnish soup with parmesan cheese and/or bacon.
Serves 4-6