# Maximum Minestrone

**Serves 6**

**KITCHEN TALK:** Pasta that is cooked al dente is slightly soft and chewy but not mushy. Use a spoon to try a piece after 5 to 7 minutes of cooking. If it is done, turn off the heat. If not, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remember, hot soup is HOT. Ask a grown-up for help using sharp tools, the stove, tasting, and ladling.

**Minestrone means "big soup" in Italian, where it was first made by the Romans! It was cooked using leftover pasta, beans, and fresh vegetables.**

## Ingredients
*   3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
*   2 small to medium carrots, diced (½ cup)
*   1½ celery stalks, diced (¾ cup)
*   1 small yellow onion, diced (¾ cup)
*   1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more if needed
*   Ground black pepper
*   3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (2 teaspoons)
*   1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
*   1 (12-ounce) bag frozen chopped green beans, or 2 cups of your favorite frozen vegetables
*   6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
*   2 bay leaves
*   ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
*   ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
*   1 cup small-shaped pasta, such as rotelle, orecchiette, or ditalini
*   1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
*   2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
*   ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
*   Red pepper flakes (optional)
*   Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

## Instructions
1.  Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion, salt, and some black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, green beans, broth, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the flavors taste good together and you can smell the herbs, 10 to 15 minutes.

2.  Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium. Stir in the pasta and cannellini beans and cook until the pasta is tender but still a tiny bit firm, about 10 minutes.

3.  Use tongs to remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice. Carefully taste the broth and add another pinch of salt, if you want. Stir in the parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan, if you like. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot.

> **This dish tastes SOUP-er as a full meal!**