Italian Veggie Soup

This soup not only smells delicious, but was a HIT with the entire family!!

Nina asked to eat it ever night!  HA!

And it probably helped that I served it along side our favorite Italian bread with butter.

Top it off with some parmesan cheese and its the perfect cold day comfort food! 

  

Happy Cooking,

Sarah

Italian Veggie Soup

6-8 slices of nitrate free turkey bacon, chopped

2 T olive oil

1 pkg of Minestrone Souped vegetables (found at Wegmans; if you don't have these just substitute with 1 leek, 3 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, and 1 potato chopped)

1/2 onion, diced

1 medium sized zucchini, diced small (my kids and hubby HATE zucchini so this is a way for me to hide it)

1 can of Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

1 jar of no-sugar added pasta sauce  (any flavor will do, but I prefer roasted garlic)

3 tsp of Chicken Better than Bullion (chicken stock paste - it is a healthy, organic, natural alternative to bullion cubes)

6 cups of water

1/2 box of alphabet pasta

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp.  Add the olive oil if it starts to burn...some turkey bacon is so low in fat it may burn before crisping up without the olive oil added.  If not, add the oil with the veggies. 

Cook the veggies for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Add the pasta, stir to combine, cover and cook an additional 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Serve immediately.   So yummy! 

Enjoy!!!