Special thanks to BOU for sponsoring this post!

It’s just the beginning of summer and I am already being a rebel and refuse to engage with it entirely!

First dinner party in over a year and guess what I prepared!!!?

Yep!

A simple flavorful Minestrone with crusty bread and a green salad with loads of wine because….HELL-O…dinner parties are back!!

I so have missed entertaining!

Whether you say minestrone soup like the Italians, aka “min eh stron ee” or “min eh stron eh”, this soup is the perfect gateway to completely transform non-veggie lovers! It’s brothy and flavorful and oh so comforting with late summer veggies, pasta, and cheese!

Because this soup has the simplest of ingredients and can be made with ease, the key is starting with the best quality you can find or afford! Don’t skimp!

To the stock you’ll be adding diced tomatoes, adding more richness and a bit of acid to balance the flavors.

The other source for this soup’s distinctive minestrone flavor comes from Parmesan cheese- a little secret I learned long ago from a cooking channel—to cook the broth with a few leftover rinds of Parmesan cheese. This step really imparts that cheesy flavor and takes your broth from a vegetable flavor to minestrone all the way. OH EM GEEEE-it’s so delish!

Another secret- I make a fab easy vegetable stock using BOU Vegetable Flavored Bouillon Cubes! Certified Vegan and made with fresh herbs and spices, BOU Vegetable Flavored Bouillon Cubes are perfect for cooks of all skill levels!

BOU is a small team of saucepan experimenters, self-proclaimed flavorphiles, and grab-and-go pros who were frustrated by the limited options when it comes to adding flavor to cooking. They believe convenience shouldn’t taste like cardboard. For too long in food, function has been to the detriment of fun. Convenience foods are either processed and unnatural, or they are bland and uniform. They sought to bring an end to this functional compromise by creating tiny cubes made from better-for-you ingredients that can impact your cooking in a big, bold way. Their products can help moms get their kids or picky husbands to eat vegetables, and can make even the most hapless cook seem like an impressive chef. By making mealtimes less hassle, they want to inspire more experimentation in the kitchen. BOU is on a mission to add life to any meal through unrivaled taste and flavor.

I love everything they stand for. I am all about making things easier these days. I no longer have a young child in the house but I do have Lin and two pups and let me tell you that alone is a full time job! Plus I run two companies so seriously thank you BOU for making the impossible possible for me on nights I want to pull my hair out. LOL

Another secret to this Minestrone is the BOU Roasted Garlic Seasoning Cubes!! BOU Roasted Garlic Seasoning Cubes are packed with a robust, roasted garlic flavor in a ready-to-use single seasoning cube. Add a burst of garlicky taste to your next batch of garlic bread, scampi dishes or make the perfect garlic butter sauce. One cube is equivalent to a tablespoon of roasted minced garlic - perfectly portioned for easy cooking.

SOOOOO easy and so delish! I hate chopping garlic!

So I know you are now patiently awaiting the recipe…yes?!

Recipe for Minestrone

Late Summer Early Fall Minestrone Soup With Crusty Gluten Free Bread

Prep time 25 minutes

Cook time 35 minutes

6 servings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
8 cups boiling water along with 4 BOU vegetable flavored bouillon cubes
1 ½ roasted garlic BOU seasoning cube
1 1/2 cups fresh corn
1 parmesan rind for added flavor
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup pasta
2 cups zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese to garnish with a dash of fresh parsley

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic seasoning cubes and continue to cook for one minute, stirring often.
Stir in the diced tomatoes with liquid, vegetable stock that you made, corn and parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans, pasta and zucchini and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and parsley.

ENJOY!!!

Catch a super fun video I created too over on Insta!

I cannot wait to try their Beef Bouillon Cubes next! And the Chicken Bouillon Cubes will be a must too!