Roma Zucchini and Pasta Soup ~ Summer Soup At Its Finest

This hearty soup, which can be considered more of a stew for its thick chunks of vegetable goodness, is a big crowd pleaser, which is good since you’ll be making a whole lot to share. Chock-filled with vegetables, complex grains and proteins, this is a healthy meal that can be frozen and reheated for days, or even weeks, to come.

I like to make this dish in the summer time, because even though we usually think of soup as a winter food, it can be really delicious on some cooler summer nights when you’ve done a lot of outdoor work and play in the sun and need some fluids in your meal to get you back on track. Plus, you can get the freshest veggies to put in your soup during the summer, from farm stands and farmers markets, which is what I did for this recipe. This dish is not tricky to make, but takes a little grunt worth, so plan out an evening or afternoon where you can dedicate yourself to some rinsing and chopping while you enjoy a glass of wine and some good music on your radio.

Ingredients for Roma Zucchini and Pasta Soup

• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely minced
• 3 stalks celery, rinsed and chopped
• 1 package of dried peas and lentils, brand of your choice
• 12 cups vegetable broth
• 4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 8 baby dutch yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters  (These can be substituted for whatever potatoes you like if you can’t find the baby dutch yellow)
• Small handful of fresh Italian parsley, diced
• 1 fresh bay leaf, whole
• 4-5 medium zucchini rinsed and sliced into ½ inch. pieces
• 2 large handfuls of beat greens, chopped, or baby spinach
• 1 package of whole wheat pasta.
• Grated parmesan cheese to taste

How To Make Roma Zucchini and Pasta Soup

• In a large soup or spaghetti pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Add onions (which should be diced very small) and sauté until onions are soft and translucent.
• Add celery and sauté, 2-3 minutes.
• Add vegetable broth and dried peas and lentils, stir.
• Add carrots, potatoes, parsley and bay. Allow to simmer, covered for 1 hour.
• Add zucchini and beat greens, simmer for another 40 minutes.
• Boil pasta in a separate pot until al dente, drain and add to soup immediately to prevent pasta from clumping together.
• Stir and serve with a covering of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!