Minestrone With Arborio Rice

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise and then crosswise into thin slices
• 3/4 lb green cabbage, shredded (about 1/4 head)
• 1 1/2 quarts canned low sodium chicken broth or 1 1/2 quarts homemade stock
• 1 2/3 cups drained and rinsed canned pinto beans (one 15-ounce can)
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 3/4 lb boiling potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 in a large pot, heat the 1/4 cup oil over moderate heat. add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. add the garlic, carrots, and celery.
• 2 cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• 3 add the zucchini and cabbage. cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes longer.
• 4 add the broth, beans, rice, potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to the pot. bring to a boil.
• 5 reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the rice and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. remove the bay leaf.
• 6 stir the pepper into the soup. sprinkle each bowlful with parmesan and drizzle each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil.