Italian Vegetable Soup with Beans, Spinach & Pesto

Name: Italian Vegetable Soup with Beans, Spinach & Pesto
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1.5 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, cut into small dice; 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick; 3 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick; 1 medium bell pepper (red or yellow), stemmed, seeded and cut into medium dice; 1 pound all-purpose potatoes, unpeeled and cut into medium dice; 1 (16 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes; 2 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, undrained; 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth in can or carton; 7 ounces loosely packed baby spinach; 1 cup frozen green peas; Salt and ground black pepper; Prepared pesto (found in grocer's refrigerated section)

Recipe by USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson from allrecipes.com

Dinner,Lunch

Ingredients

10 servings

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1.5 tablespoons olive oil
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1 large onion, cut into small dice
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3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
•

3 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
•

1 medium bell pepper (red or yellow), stemmed, seeded and cut into medium dice
•

1 pound all-purpose potatoes, unpeeled and cut into medium dice
•

1 (16 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

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2 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, undrained
•

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth in can or carton
•

7 ounces loosely packed baby spinach
•

1 cup frozen green peas
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Salt and ground black pepper
•

Prepared pesto (found in grocer's refrigerated section)

Instructions

Heat oil in a soup kettle over medium-high flame. Add onions, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, bean and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Add spinach and peas; continue to simmer until spinach wilts, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, adding a spoonful of pesto to each serving of soup.
For lunch, pack soup in separate leakproof containers. Warm soup in microwave and top with pesto.