I wanted a nice Italian soup to go with a special lasagna dinner. I was craving an Italian style soup like an wedding soup, but wasn't certain how to make it without meat. I didn't want a minestrone, pasta fagioli, tomato Florentine or potato soup. I kinda wanted a little of each! I came up with this and it was light, refreshing, delicious and SPICY!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Servings: 6
Author: Snap Pea Sheep
Cost: 8
Equipment
Stock pot
Ingredients
118.3 Oz JarDiced TomatoesI use Jovial organic diced tomatoes in a glass jar
1/2Fennel BulbAbout a cup
1/2Sweet Vidalia onionAbout 3/4 cup
2Mini bell peppers
6Mushrooms
CanCannellini BeansUse low sodium
2CupsSpinach
6ClovesFresh garlic
1/2CupOrzo
2TbspCalabrian ChiliTrader Joe's Italian Bomba hot pepper sauce
1/2TspHerbe De Province
1TbspFresh oregano
1/2TspFennel Seeds
1/2TspBlack peppercorns
Himalayan saltTo taste
WaterAs needed
Instructions
Add the tomatoes and beans to a large stock pot. Do not drain.
Soak oregano and spinach in water to remove the dirt, seeds and possible insects. Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
Slice an onion in half. Slice one of the halves in two then slice crosswise to make 1/4" slices. Add to stock pot.
Peel and crush garlic. Add to stock pot.
Remove outer leaves, top and bottom from fennel bulb. Slice in half. Slice again into 1/4" slices (similar to onion). Add to stock pot.
Slice mini bells in half and remove the seeds. Slice the peppers into 1/4" slices. Add to stock pot.
Clean mushrooms and slice into 1/4" slices. Add to stock pot.
Add Calabrian chili and seasonings to stock pot. Add enough water to cover the ingredients by an inch.
Set the burner to medium heat and bring the soup to a boil. Turn down to a simmer.
After 10 minutes, bring the soup to a boil again and then add the orzo. Let the soup continue a slow boil for about 3 minutes then turn the heat back down to medium to simmer. Orzo will sink to the bottom and start to stick so you will need to stir gently with a wood spoon to prevent sticking.
Drain your spinach and oregano. Strip the leaves from your oregano and add to the soup.
Chop your spinach and add to the soup about 3 minutes before serving.
Ladle into bowls and enjoy.
Notes
This is a Snap Pea Sheep recipe!This is similar to my tomato Florentine but with the added mushrooms, fennel and peppers, it takes on a flavor remenicient of Italian sausage. I used fresh oregano here. If you use dry oregano, use about 1/2 Tsp. I used three 6" strands of fresh oregano from my garden. I am sold on Jovial brand tomatoes because they are organic and come in a jar. I NEVER use canned tomatoes because the acid leeches the metal from the can. You can use a pound of fresh, peeled tomatoes if you prefer. This soup is very spicy but you can adjust up or down depending on your preferred spice level. I use whole, black peppercorns in soups because my husband loves that hit of black pepper. You can use ground pepper if you prefer but use half the amount I specified for the peppercorns and adjust to your taste.