• 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 celery ribs, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh red crushed pepper or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes and the juice
  • 3 tablespoons or so Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen vegetables (mixture of peas, carrots, corn and lima beans is what I typically use)
  • 1 cup of your favorite small pasta or angel hair pasta broken up into tiny pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste

With the chill in the air and the holidays here, it is most definitely time for a delicious soup that is both comforting and filling. Growing up in Massachusetts, I loved Venus de Milo’s Minestrone Soup. Mike and I enjoyed our wedding reception there and their Minestrone Soup was amazing! Traditionally, minestrone soups use beef, but we enjoy ground turkey and chicken stock in our Minestrone. I hope your family loves this soup as much as our family does!

In a regular size soup pan, heat your oil up for a few seconds. Add your ground turkey, onion, celery and garlic. Stir constantly until the turkey is cooked through and the vegetables are a bit tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, garlic and onion powders, red crushed pepper or pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes. Add vegetables.

Add enough water to cover the pot and then about three tablespoons so of the chicken base. Add one tablespoon at a time, stirring in between until you get a flavor you like. You may need to add less or more. This will depend on your taste.

Allow the soup to simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Add the pasta and allow it to simmer until it is cooked. Taste to see if you need to add a little more s & p.

If you do not eat your soup right away or have it for leftovers later on in the week, you may have to add a little more water or chicken stock to thin it out. Pasta will soak up the broth. Pour into a big bowl and enjoy!