Sunday, December 2, 2007

Spicy Italian Soup

This is a favorite in our family. It's full of flavor and doesn't take much time to cook.
Serves 6-8.

  • 1/2 -1 lb ground beef (depends on how much meat you want in the soup)
  • 14 oz. mixed frozen vegetables (I use Pictsweet's cracked pepper-seasoned summer vegetables with squash, green beans, baby carrots, onions, and red peppers)
  • 4 med red potatoes
  • 3-4 bunches of chopped scallions (green onions)
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 C shell pasta
  • 2 C water
  • 2 C beef broth
  • 3 Tb olive oil
  • 2 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp savory
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
Soup base: combine tomatoes, water, beef broth, 2 Tb olive oil, seasonings, and 1 tsp garlic in a large pot over a med-low heat. Let simmer.

Chop potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Add to soup base and turn up the temperature to med-high. Once boiling, add the pasta and remaining vegetables. Reduce to medium heat.

In medium frying pan, brown ground beef with 1/4 tsp of garlic and 1 Tb of olive oil. Add a few dashes of salt and pepper. Once beef is thoroughly cooked, stir into the soup and let simmer for 15-20 minutes before serving.

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