Vegetable Beef Minestrone

Beef, bacon and vegetables are delicious in this chick pea minestrone.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 273 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• ½ pound lean ground beef
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 2 carrots, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 ounces spaghetti, broken into pieces

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

In a large saucepan, cook bacon and ground beef until well done, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Drain off the grease and add carrots, garlic, onion and celery. Season with the bay leaf, basil, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Stir in tomatoes and beef stock.

Step 2

Simmer for about 20 minutes then put in the chickpeas and broken spaghetti. Cook covered, for about 10 minutes or until spaghetti is al dente. Remove the bay leaf before serving.