A bowlful of vegetable soup is comfort food and a taste of summer’s bounty all at the same time. Minestrone is a personal art form. Use this recipe as a base and add whatever beans or vegetables you enjoy. Try cannellini or Great Northern beans, fennel, cabbage, green beans, rutabaga, celeriac, or butternut squash. For a heartier soup, add cooked Italian sausage and sautéed pancetta. Instead of orzo, try elbow macaroni or rotini. This soup is delicious topped with purchased or homemade pesto.

Garden Minestrone
Serves 4 to 6

3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh baby spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups cooked orzo
Pecorino Romano cheese
Ciabatta bread

1. In Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery and carrot in 2 tbsp hot oil until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.

2. Stir in broth, tomatoes, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, sauté zucchini in medium skillet in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, until tender. Then add zucchini, beans, spinach, salt and pepper to soup pot. Simmer 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted and soup in warmed through.

4. Spoon orzo into 4 to 6 bowls. Ladle soup over orzo. Garnish with curls of Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve with crusty Ciabatta.

Chenin Blanc pairs nicely with the vegetables in this soup.