Minestrone Soup Recipe with Vero Gusto® Sauce by Barilla®

Check out this delicious and healthy minestrone soup recipe made with Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce by Barilla®, fresh vegetables, beans and pasta.

This minestrone soup recipe is easy to make and enjoy anytime, but is especially appetizing on a cold fall or winter day. Minestrone is a hearty, healthy soup that will keep you full and nourished due to the abundance of fresh vegetables, beans, herbs, and pasta. The broth of this minestrone soup recipe is infused with the star of this dish - Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce by Barilla® which helps add flavor, richness, and maintains that homemade taste. Minestrone soup is a great option for an easy dinner that the whole family will love, and it will stretch throughout the week for tasty leftovers!

Using the Vero Gusto® Sauce by Barilla® in Minestrone Soup

The Vero Gusto® sauce by Barilla®, made in Parma, Italy, is a great addition to this healthy minestrone recipe because there is nothing artificial and no added sugar. The exceptional Barilla® pasta sauce is also non-GMO Project Verified. The Vero Gusto® is slowly sautéed with the finest regional ingredients including: caramelized onion, garlic, and carrot, an authentic Italian soffiritto, which gives it an aromatic, homemade taste.

The high-quality of the Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce is accomplished by using the traditional tomato passata technique, which originated in Italy. Tomato passata, is an uncooked tomato puree, and the process includes straining all the seeds and skins, so that only the most flavorful and rich parts of the tomato (the pulp) are utilized. This process helps to make the sauce perfectly rich and smooth. With the Vero Gusto® you can truly enjoy and appreciate the journey to this nourishing meal. The Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce can be purchased at your local Kroger store. There are three different Vero Gusto® varieties available at Kroger including the Heritage Marinara, Tomato and Basil, and Sicilian Herb sauces, click here for more details!

What is Minestrone Soup?

Did you know that minestrone soup has a long history dating back hundreds of years, and it was traditionally made to use up leftover vegetables? That is why, to this day, there is no one exact recipe for minestrone due to the varying mixture of vegetables and fresh ingredients used.

This healthy minestrone soup recipe includes the Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara-infused broth with fresh, organic vegetables, beans, and pasta. The wholesome pasta-based soup can be made utilizing a wide range of vegetables, but traditionally the core-ingredients of minestrone include tomato, onion, celery, garlic and carrots. This minestrone recipe is a complete meal packed with nutrients, and is considered vegetarian.

How to Make Minestrone Soup Using Vero Gusto® sauce by Barilla®

What You Need to Make Minestrone Soup:

-½ jar of Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce by Barilla®

-½ cup of shredded carrots

-3 celery stalks, diced

-1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

-1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

-½ cup of cut green beans (fresh or frozen)

-½ cup of red onion, diced

-1 zucchini, diced

-4 cups of vegetable broth

-4 ounces of Barilla® medium shell pasta

-Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 tsp dried basil

-1 tsp dried oregano

-Salt and pepper to taste

-Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation and Directions for Minestrone Soup:

1. Wash, prepare, and cut the vegetables and herbs. Then, add olive oil to a large soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat (you can also use a separate pan). Sauté the diced onion, celery, shredded carrots, and zucchini for 4-5 minutes. Simultaneously, bring a small pot of salted water to boil and add 4 ounces of Barilla® medium shell pasta to the pot, and cook al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water, set aside.

2. Add the vegetable broth, drained and rinsed beans, and sautéed veggies to the soup pot. Slowly stir in ½ the jar of the Vero Gusto® sauce. Add the dried oregano and basil, garlic, and chopped parsley. Simmer on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes covered, until vegetables are tender and ingredients are well-combined. Add pasta, let cook for another 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

How to Make the Perfect Bowl of Minestrone Soup

If you are looking for a quick, healthy and delicious recipe, try making this minestrone soup using the Vero Gusto® sauce, you won’t be disappointed! The soup also makes for great leftovers for lunch or dinner, so be sure to store extra servings in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. All the ingredients can easily be found at the grocery store, and/or your pantry.

Head to your local Kroger to pick-up a container of Vero Gusto® Sauce by Barilla® and give this amazing soup a try today with your family or friends!

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats is fall favorite recipe that is sure to get your morning off to a great start!! It’s easy to prepare, and will fuel your body for the day. Save the leftovers for a quick on-the-go breakfast or snack!

Recipe yields 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic quick oats

• 2 cups almond milk

• 1 cup organic pumpkin puree

• 2 tbsp Agave in the Raw or 1 tbsp Honey

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp hemp seeds

• 1 tsp organic pumpkin pie spice (can find at Whole Foods bulk section)

• Ground Cinnamon

• Handful of Pecan halves or your choice of topping

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix 2 cups of organic quick oats, 2 cups of almond milk, 1 cup of organic pumpkin puree, 2 Tbsp Agave In The Raw or honey, 1 Tbsp chia seeds, 1 Tbsp hemp seeds, 1 tsp organic pumpkin pie spice, and a dash of cinnamon.

2. Can keep in bowl or transfer to a mason jar or glass container. Let the mixture sit overnight or until it sets, and then add crushed pecans on top. Can eat cold or warm-up, this recipe yields two servings.

TIP: To save money you can find some of these ingredients in the bulk section of your grocery store and only buy what you need 

One Pan Sausage, Asparagus + Sweet Potatoes

One Pan Recipes are meant to make your life easier! You can significantly cut-down on cooking time without sacrificing the taste or nutritional benefits of a healthy meal! I can’t stress enough the importance of using high-quality meat for this recipe as sausage can come with lots of unwelcome preservatives and fillers. I recommend getting organic when possible, and if not look for the nitrate-free varieties.

One Pan Sausage, Asparagus and Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package of organic mild chicken sausage (or preferred flavor.

• 2 sweet potatoes

• Bunch of asparagus

• Everything But the Bagel Seasoning

• Pink salt + pepper

• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cut up sausages, dice sweet potatoes and cut the ends off of the asparagus.

3. Add to sheet pain and drizzle with olive oil, Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (I got it from Trader Joe’s), pink salt and pepper.

4. Cook for 25-30 minutes.

   If your sausage is precooked already may want to remove it from oven sooner than the veggies, depending on the consistency you like (we prefer that grilled taste so I leave it in for the duration).

5. Let the pan cool and serve using spatula for easy removal.

**DIY Everything But the Bagel Seasoning

The Everything But the Bagel Seasoning blend is a favorite in our house for breakfasts, lunches and dinners! If you don’t have it handy, you can easily make your own blend! It consists of sesame seeds (white and black), sea salt flakes, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, and poppy seeds. Combine the ingredients and sprinkle on the meat and veggies.

TIP: If you like spicier food, by all means you can use a hot or seasoned sausage blend instead. The mild version we use has a little bit of a kick to it already, so combined with the seasoning it’s quite flavorful.

Skillet Sweet Potatoes

Get all the nutrients and fuel you need from this super easy recipe!!

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes (cut into cubes)

• 1 cup chopped spinach

• 1 bell pepper

• 1/4 cup of diced onion

• Handful of fresh cilantro

• Pink salt + pepper

• Red Pepper Flakes

• EVOO or coconut oil

Directions:

1. Cube sweet potatoes, dice up the onion, cut-up bell pepper into small pieces, and chop the spinach.

2. Cook all veggies over EVOO or coconut oil on stovetop with a sprinkle of pink salt and pepper, frequently stirring. Cook until potatoes start to soften and brown. Can cover with lid for a few minutes to speed up the process, but do not leave on for the entire time.

3. Remove from heat and top with crushed red pepper and fresh cilantro.

Avocado Nests

Start your day off right with this filling and nutritious breakfast! This recipe is dairy and gluten free!

Ingredients:

• 2 large avocados

• 2 cage-free eggs

• 1 cup chopped spinach

• 1 cup diced red onion

• 2-3 pieces of turkey breast (deli style)

• 1 TBSP almond mozzarella

• 1 TBSP plant-based butter

• Pink Himalayan Salt

• Pepper or red pepper flakes

• EVOO or coconut oil

• Hot sauce or chili powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut (or rip) turkey breast into small pieces and add to stove top pan with a drizzle of coconut or EVOO and sprinkle of pink salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of chopped spinach and diced onions to the pan after about 3 minutes and continue to cook and stir until turkey starts to brown and then remove from heat. At the same time you can scramble the eggs in a separate pan over 1 TBSP of melted plant-based butter and pink salt/pepper.

2. Cut avocados in half (long ways) and scoop out the pit and the center filling (save for another meal or recipe!)

3. Combine the turkey mixture with the scrambled eggs and fill-up the avocado bowls. Weave in some shredded almond mozzarella while still hot so it melts and can top with additional pink salt and red pepper flakes, chili powder or hot sauce to taste!

Orange-Cranberry Salad

I love adding fruit to my salads, especially during the late-summer and fall! This salad is both sweet and savory, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of romaine

• 2 cup of fresh spinach

• 1/4 cup Mandarin oranges

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1 handful of slivered almonds

• 1 handful of pecans

• 1 TBSP goat cheese

• 1 TSP uncured bacon crumbles

• Poppyseed dressing OR Balsamic Vinegar + lemon juice

Directions:

Mix the chopped romaine and spinach leaves in a large bowl, add the mandarin oranges, cranberries, almonds and pecans and toss well. Top with crumbled goat cheese and uncured bacon bits. Dress with an organic poppyseed dressing OR make your own dressing using balsamic vinegar and a splash of lemon juice. This recipe will make 2 servings.