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5 from 2 votes

Spring Minestrone with Pearl Couscous

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: healthy,, seasonal, spring, vegetarian
Author: Christen Clark

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 4 carrots diced
  • 4 celery diced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 10-15 asparagus spears 1 inch diced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 15 ounce cans garbanzo beans drained
  • 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup pearl couscous dry
  • 3 quarts broth chicken or vegetable
  • 1 bunch rainbow chard ribs removed and rough chopped
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • olive oil
  • salt

Instructions

  • Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven to medium-high. Add a couple tablespoons of oil and add the carrots, celery and onion with a good pinch of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, thyme, garlic and tomato paste and sauté with an additional pinch of salt. for about 3 minutes more.
    Add the couscous, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Taste the broth add salt until it is seasoned. This is a huge pot of soup and it will need lots of salt to season all the vegetables plus the broth.
    Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or it is reduced to your desired thickness. Add the chard and simmer for another 10 minutes. Last, add the fresh lemon juice and parsley and serve.