Minestrone Soup and Grilled Cheese

Winter nights call for cozy wins and nothing wins kids over faster than a warm bowl of minestrone soup paired with a golden, melty grilled cheese sandwich. It’s colorful, healthy, dunkable, and comforting in all the right ways. When you serve this combo, you’re not just making food; you’re making a winter favorite the children in your care will ask for again and again.

You Will Need:

For Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup uncooked small pasta
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Grilled Cheese

2 bread slices per sandwich
2-5 slices cheddar cheese
1-2 Tablespoons butter, margarine, or mayonnaise

What to Do:

Soup

1. Heat oil in a stockpot to medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; cook until slightly soft, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook until bubbly, 1-2 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Stir in beans and pasta shells. Bring to a simmer; cook until pasta is almost cooked, 6-7 minutes.

3. Stir in zucchini, green beans and spinach. Cook 2-3 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender and pasta is al dente. Stir in parsley and basil.

4. Garnish with Parmesan and, if desired, additional minced fresh basil.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Spread butter, margarine, or mayonnaise on outside of a slice of bread and place it in warm skillet.

2. Add a few slices of cheese on the bread.

3. Top with another slice of bread with butter, margarine, or mayonnaise on the outside of the bread.

4. When the bottom slice of bread is toasted golden brown, use a spatula to flip the sandwich to the other side until the bread is golden brown.

5. Remove the sandwich with a spatula onto a cutting board to slice the sandwich into two triangles before serving it to the children.

References:

Soup recipe from Taste of Home
Photos by Stephanie Felzenberg

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