There is a list of likely additions at the end of this recipe. Use your imagination. I used 1 1/2 lbs. of roasted pork pieces and it was fine. You definitely want some type of meat in this soup unless you are a vegetarian.
Take the time to taste the soup after making it to be sure you have enough of the listed seasonings. I know I added sea salt and I think next time I will double the basil and the oregano.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon (or more) of dried oregano
1 teaspoon (or more) of dried basil
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper
½ of a large head of cabbage, chopped
1, 15 ounce can of white kidney beans
24 snow pea pods, fiber strip removed, or 1/2 cup of frozen peas
1, 28 ounce can of peeled plum tomatoes, chopped, plus the juice
6 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth (or more if needed)
1 cup of uncooked basmati rice
1/4 cup of cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup of water
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup of roughly chopped fresh parsley
sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and add the diced onions, carrot, snow peas or regular frozen peas and the celery. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, covered, with stirring once a minute.
Add the garlic slices and the spices and stir, then cook for another minute.
Add the cabbage and let it cook for 5 minutes, covered, stirring frequently.
Pour in the vegetable broth, the rice, the kidney beans, and the chopped plum tomatoes and juice and heat the soup to a low boil, and boil it for 12 minutes, covered.
Add the cornstarch and water mixture. Stir well and let the soup boil gently for three minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and add the lemon juice and cracked black pepper, then stir it.
Add sea salt to taste and serve the soup hot, with the parsley on top, along with some crackers and butter.
Enjoy!
Ingredient Variations:
Add meat. You can add shredded chicken, diced baked chicken breast, pulled pork, beef chunks, ground turkey, etc.
Add a vegetable protein. You can add white kidney beans, chickpeas, or lentils (but add extra broth for cooking).
Add other vegetables, like bell peppers, zucchini slices, or leafy greens like kale or escarole.
Add rice or some other carbohydrate to make this soup a complete meal.
Add sliced mushrooms to add flavor and to make the soup more complex.
Add a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Yes, enjoy this soup using the ingredient variations!