Cheaters " Quick & Easy" Minestrone

Name: Cheaters " Quick & Easy" Minestrone
Ingredients: 3 slices bacon, cooked crisp & chopped; 1 cup onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 carrots, peeled and medium dice; 1/2 cup celery, sliced; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 (14 ounce) can low sodium beef broth; 10 ounces condensed bean with bacon soup, Campbell's, undiluted; 1 1/2 cups water; 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice or (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with juice; 1 cup green cabbage, chopped; 1 cup zucchini, cubed; 1 cup ditalini or 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated at serving

14 ingredients

8 steps

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, cooked crisp & chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and medium dice
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14 ounce) can low sodium beef broth
10 ounces condensed bean with bacon soup, Campbell's, undiluted
1 1/2 cups water
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice or (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with juice
1 cup green cabbage, chopped
1 cup zucchini, cubed
1 cup ditalini or 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated at serving

Directions

1

Slice through bacon, put in the the dutch oven and fry until crisp.
2

Remove bacon from drippings; drain on a paper towel to remove excess grease. Reserve 1 or 2 Tablespoons bacon grease; leave grease in the pan.
3

In reserved bacon grease, saute onions until slightly translucent; add garlic and saute an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4

Add carrots, celery, basil, broth, bean and bacon soup, water, tomatoes, cabbage, and zucchini.
5

Simmer for at least 60 minutes. Remove Parmesan rind.
6

In the mean time: boil water for pasta. Cook according to package directions.
7

DO NOT ADD pasta to the soup. Rinse cooked pasta with hot water to remove the starch residue and prevent sticking. Set aside.
8

Ladle hot soup over cooked macaroni; top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.