There are so many things to love about this recipe. It comes together with little effort, is loaded with protein, and is delicious and inexpensive. However, for me, the most endearing quality is that everyone at the dinner table devours this hearty Chickpea Minestrone with Fresh Basil soup.
It is a cold, wet, and dreary January day here in Michigan. The dampness from yesterday’s heavy rain seeps deep into my bones and makes me long for spring or at least travel to somewhere warm and sunny. Until then, the best thing I can think of is a big bowl of my favorite chickpea Minestrone Soup with lots of fresh basil.
I hope you love this recipe Chickpea Minestrone with Fresh Basil as much as I do.
My favorite shortcuts
My passion is cooking homemade meals that are not too complicated or have ingredients that I must google to figure out what they are. It is not that I dislike trying new things, it is that I have learned running around to find a rare or somewhat different spice rarely pays off. Most of my family members are picky people to cook for.
Onions
Almost all of the savory recipes that I love call for onions. Now I do have a couple of friends that do not adore onions, so if you are one of those people, you can simply skip over this part.
My least favorite part of cooking is chopping onions. I have tried all sorts of methods from holding a slice of bread in my mouth, goggles, and food processor, and yet still…my eyes burn and tear up something awful. So imagine my delight in discovering frozen, perfectly chopped onions in the freezer section. It sounded way too good to be true.
But guess what? They are amazing! (I am signing this right now) I get several bags now in my freezer and just pull them out and they are ready to be sauteed, added to stews, etc. They do not have a funky flavor or have any negative effects on your recipe but they are a huge time saver.
They also save money! I get the store brand of frozen onion and only use what I need.
When are frozen onions NOT a good idea?
When a recipe calls for raw onion such as on nachos, or certain salads. Sorry, but you will need a fresh onion for that. Frozen onions have a different texture which is somewhat soft and soggy which is not desirable.
What about garlic in a jar?
For years I used a garlic press before I realized it took more time to actually find the garlic press in the kitchen drawer than it did to simply chop it. I love garlic and chopping it does not seem like too much of a task considering what it does for the dish I am preparing.
However, chopped garlic all ready to go seemed like the perfect solution for my son who loves to saute garlic and spinach. (now before you get envious that I have a son that loves spinach, the list of healthy foods that he will eat is extremely small) Neither one of us had a lot of confidence in his ability to use a sharp knife so I purchased a jar of chopped garlic.
My son tried it one time and that was it. The smell and flavor of the garlic both in the jar and in the finished product are different. The wonderful taste and aroma were replaced with something off-putting and spoiled the dish for both of us. I tried in another dish and then sadly (because I hate to waste) I had to throw it away.
I did some research after the pre-chopped garlic purchase to see what others thought of this. Almost all professional chefs and foodies will tell you a straightforward no for all the reasons I discovered when I used it. Garlic that sits in the water as a preservative loses its flavor and the taste and texture is altered. If you are a fan of the garlic in a jar I suggest getting a garlic press (they are super easy to use) and giving it a try. My thought is if you are taking the time and effort to cook, make it as flavorful and delicious as possible.
Another thing to consider when using preserved garlic is that according to research you lose some of the key health benefits. Studies show that Allicin which is a key ingredient in garlic is less potent when preserved. You also take away some of garlic’s antimicrobial benefits.
Vegetable broth
Many of the recipes that I make calls for vegetable broth. I would purchase vegetable broth but end up forgetting about the portion that I did not use only to find it hidden in the back of my fridge. Once I discovered Better Than Boullion (I use the low sodium to control the salt in my dish) it made life so much easier. I can make the amount of broth I need for a recipe. I also add it to stews, soups, and other dishes such as lentils.
I hope you love this recipe Chickpea Minestrone with Fresh Basil as much as I do.
The Best Chickpea Minestrone with Fresh Basil
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1 cup Onion, chopped. Can use frozen onion. (no need to defrost first)
- 4 Carrots, sliced thin
- 4 Celery stalks. Cut in half then slice thin
- 1 28 oz Can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
- 5 cups Vegetable broth
- 1 cup small pasta (Orzo or ditalini)
- 2 cans Chickpeas 16 oz each
- 1/4 cup Parmesan (can be vegan) for topping (optional)
- 1/2 cup Fresh Basil sliced in thin ribbons for topping
- 1 cup Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Heal olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for about 3-4 minutes until softened. Add carrots and celery, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in tomatoes (do not drain first) and Herbs de Provence. Cook for 5 minutes.
- With a potato masher, smash 1/2 cup of the chickpeas in a bowl with a tablespoon of the broth to make a paste. Add smashed and whole chickpeas to the pot. Add the broth to the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in pasta and cook for about 8 minutes (time with vary with pasta choice) Stir occasionally while cooking
- Once the pasta is al dente, add in fresh basil and stir.
- Garnish with ribbons of fresh-cut basil and top with a teaspoon (or more) of parmesan cheese
