Italian-Style Tomato Florentine Soup
Italian Style Tomato Florentine Soup
Rich tomato soup full of vegetables and pasta... seasoned to perfection! Pure indulgence on any day and easy to make too! Jazz it up with extra veggies for a perfect plant-based recipe! Make a pot today!!
Italian Style Tomato Florentine Soup
Yield: 8 – 10 bowls
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato or V8 juice
1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained (divided)
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
One 8-inch zucchini, cut into half moons
1 – 1 1/2 cups dry Ditalini or very small shell pasta
3 cups spinach, kale or Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
Optional: 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
Extra veggies such as summer squash, green beans
Dash or two of red pepper flakes
Garnish: Fresh grated parmesan or gorgonzola cheese
Equipment Needed:
Cutting board
Chef knife
Liquid and dry measuring cups
Measuring spoons
5 – 6 quart soup kettle/ pot
Hand Immersion blender or standard blender
Rubber spatula
Ladle
Don’t you just crave tomato soup on a chilly day? Maybe an open-faced grilled sandwich alongside? This is me most chilly weekends! Soup is one of my favorite foods, especially tomato soup. When I was growing up my mom used to make tomato soup with Pastina pasta. Super tiny pastas that made the soup so rich and yummy, and special... Not just out of a can. When my kids were little I continued the family tradition, but often enlarged the pasta. Now that the soup is for me and my hubby, I started adding vegetables. I love the flavor aromatic veggies like onions and garlic add to a pot of soup. I consider them soup staples! My students used to say...”Mrs. K? Why do you add onions and garlic to almost everything?” My usual response…“Food tastes so much better with them!”. Zucchini and greens are often found in many Italian dishes too, and I also love zucchini and tomato together. When the zucchini absorbs all the tomato flavor, it’s amazing! Have to stop myself from eating out all the zucchini, so usually add extra for tasting purposes. I grow tomatoes and zucchini in my garden every summer, so I’m always looking for a way to use my canned tomato supply. You will find this soup so good, I’m sure! Grab your chef knife and let’s start chopping... Times a wasting!
1) Dice the onions and celery and mince the garlic. Place the soup kettle over medium high heat, for ~ 3 – 5 minutes, as you finish chopping. Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until celery is bright green and onions a bit translucent, about 5 minutes.
2) While your veggies are sautéing, remove 1 cup of the diced tomatoes from the 28 ounce can or simmer fresh cut tomatoes in another pot. Using a hand blender, puree tomatoes to smooth.
One of the best benefits of sautéing aromatics is the smells that fill your house making everyone salivate and wonder what you are cooking!
1) Add the chicken broth to the pot and the remaining canned diced or fresh processed tomatoes with the juice. Give it a stir or two. Sprinkle in the sugar and seasonings and stir well. You can always leave the soup chunky too and not blend it... up to you!
1) After the broth and tomatoes are blended, Pour in the tomato juice and dry pasta. I always have a variety of tiny pastas for soup making and Ditalini are my favorite! Small tubular pastas that swell to a little smaller than a dime when cooked. (I have used gluten free pasta on occasion too, except it often doesn’t hold up if heated too long. Quinoa pasta holds it shape better than rice pasta.)
2) Stir the pot of soup well and bring it to a boil. If adding extra cooked chicken, now is the time!
The final steps are the addition of the remaining vegetables. While the soup is coming to a boil.
1) Cut your zucchini into half-moons. To create shapes that resemble a half moon, slice the zucchini into ~ 1⁄4 - inch silver dollar coins and then cut each coin in half.
2) Next the greens…I prefer to use kale or Swiss chard as it keeps it shape longer and doesn’t disappear like spinach does in soups. Remove the larger stems and veins in the kale and long stems on leaves of spinach. Rough chop to create smaller pieces that will easily fit on a spoon.
3) Add the zucchini and greens to the pot and allow them to cook along with the pasta. Pasta generally takes about 10 minutes to al dente texture. Remember, the longer you hold the soup the more the pasta will absorb the broth and swell. The zucchini will float on top at first and sink down into the pot as they cook and absorb the ‘tomatoey’ goodness.
Your soup is ready! Taste it… adjust the salt and pepper if needed. I add a dash or two of red pepper flakes at this point too. Everyone’s tastes are different, so spice up the entire pot or each individual bowl! Dish up the soup into bowls and garnish with a bit of grated parmesan or crumbled gorgonzola cheese! Balance your lunch or dinner and serve with open-faced pizza bread or slices of crusty, cheesy garlic bread. Your meal is ready... Enjoy!!