Hearty Beef Minestrone

Last evening, we charbroiled two London Broil steaks. There were leftovers. As recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture the cooked meat was wrapped and stored in the refrigerator.

Before supper, Joan diced about 3 or 4 slices of the reserved beef and use it in this soup.

1 cup tiny pasta, such as macaroni, shells or alphabets
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, including leaves, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) ready-to-use chicken broth
1 can (16 to 19 ounces) red kidney or cannellini beans, undrained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup diced roast beef (reserved from yesterday)
Grated Parmesan cheese


Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook about 8 minutes, or until soft. stirring often. Add zucchini, chicken broth, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Stir in diced beef and reserved pasta. Simmer 2 minutes, or until heated through. (Do not overcook the beef or it will become tough.) Serve the minestrone with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Menu Roundout: A loaf of crusty bread is all you need to make a full meal from this soup.

Makes 4 servings