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blue splatter bowls of zero waste minestrone soup

Zero Waste Minestrone Soup

This minestrone soup is a framework for using up whatever leftovers you have on hand. All manner of vegetables, leftover pasta, chicken broth, beans, Parmesan cheese rinds, and even leftover meat or poultry are all fair game here. Feel free to get creative with this “Everything but the Kitchen Sink” soup.
Servings 6 servings
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 cups raw vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken, vegetable, or beef broth
  • One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves (or a few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, basil, tarragon, or oregano)
  • Salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • Parmesan rind, if you have one
  • 4 to 5 ounces uncooked pasta, such as penne, farfalle, or rotini (see note)
  • Large handful leafy greens, such as raw spinach, kale, chard, or collards, stemmed and chopped (optional)
  • 1 to 2 cups leftover chopped poultry, meat, or cooked beans or chickpeas (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil over medium in large pot. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, another minute or 2.

  2. Add 6 cups of chicken broth, tomatoes, and any longer-cooking vegetables (ie potatoes, carrots, winter squash, parsnips, broccoli, bay leaf, a generous pinch of salt, black pepper, and the Parmesan rind (if using). Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until the broth simmers and cook 10 minutes until the vegetables are nearly tender.

  3. Add the beans, any quicker cooking vegetables (ie zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus), and the uncooked pasta. Continue to cook at a high simmer until the pasta is al dente. Add more broth, as needed.

  4. Add the greens and cooked meat/poultry/beans (if using) and cook just until heated through. Taste and add salt and black pepper to taste. The amount of salt will vary depending on the type of broth you use. Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaves before serving.

  5. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

Recipe Notes

If you have leftover cooked pasta, feel free to use that in place of the uncooked pasta and add it at the very end of cooking the soup. Figure you'll need about 2 cups of cooked pasta. You can also use leftover rice, barley, or other grains in place of pasta if you happen to have that on hand.