Mediterranean Minestrone Soup with Sweet Potato and Fresh Herbs
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Minestrone has got to be one of the most well-known comforting soups out there. For me it's always been one of those throw all the vegetables you have in a pot and see what works kind of a recipe, but after many attempts I've learned what my favorite qualities are in a minestrone soup and what needs to stay consistent for the best results.
I've found that the best vegetables to use in a minestrone are mediterranean veggies like bell pepper, zucchini, potatoes, and chickpeas. They pair so well with a tomato broth and fresh herbs like thyme and sage.
When I think of mediterranean ingredients, for some reason I think of kalamata olives. I am a big fan of olives in places you wouldn't expect to find olives, but I know many others probably don't share the same enthusiasm for olives in everything. If olives are not your thing, go ahead and omit them from the recipe, but if you love olives as much as I do then I hope the idea of olives in a soup is a bit more appealing. I think they add such a lovely salty flavor, especially when chopped very small.
The sweet potato makes this recipe so much more filling and healthy, but yukon gold potatoes will also work well. I would advise against russets though, as they are a bit too floury and will break down too much in the soup. I'd also advise against carrots and cauliflower, which I've used in this soup in the past and felt like they just didn't quite belong. If you don't have chickpeas, you can definitely substitute any white beans you have, and it's even possible that other types of beans like kidney and black could work in this too, but I've only tried using white beans and chickpeas so far with great results.
This recipe is perfect for a chilly late-fall night when you're looking for something that is easy to cook all in one pot fairly quickly. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
I've been working on bringing more of my recipes to life through videos, and lately my favorite way to do this has been through stop motion. I've loved making stop motion videos in college as a photography major, but it's been about seven years since the last stop motion video I've made, so I've got some practicing to do to remember how it all works (not getting my own shadow and kitchen utensils in the frame for example >.<) Although it's a bit tedious, there's something so fun about the process of setting it up and watching it all come together for the end result. I'll definitely be making more of these for future recipes!
