Italian-Style Winter Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup small pasta, such as ditalini or macaroni
• 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the vegetable broth, pasta, and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the pasta is cooked, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve the soup hot, garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Interesting Facts

• This Italian-Style Winter Soup is a great way to use up leftover vegetables in the refrigerator.
• The soup can be served with a crusty baguette or Italian bread for a heartier meal.
• This soup can be made ahead of time and reheated for a quick and easy meal.