White Bean Minestrone with Parmesan and Kale

This soup is made from mostly pantry staples. Feel free to substitute spinach, mustard greens or whatever leafy greens you have on hand for the kale. Just don’t skimp on the Parmesan rind - it’s the key to this soup’s rich broth. (And if you don’t already, make sure to store leftover Parmesan rinds in an airtight container in the freezer, as they are great for adding depth to soup stocks, stews, and beans.)

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 medium shallot, peeled and minced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 ribs celery, diced

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

• 4 large Lacinato kale leaves, torn into small pieces

• 32 ounces vegetable broth

• 1 Parmesan rind

• 1 15-ounce can Cannellini beans, drained

• 1/2 cup dried small elbow macaroni

• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme

• 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream

• Grated fresh Parmesan for serving

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add kale and saute for another 2-3minutes. Add broth, parmesan rinds, elbow macaroni, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to cook until macaroni is al dente, about 5 minutes.

Add heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan.