Looking for a quick, delicious and nutritious meal? Try some soup! After a rigorous day of spring chores like working in the garden, washing windows or cutting and splitting wood, I like to make this Easy Spring Minestrone.

The formula for preparation is the essence of country soup making: use what’s in season, let the vegetables cook long enough to exchange personalities, and use beans and herbs for flavor and body.

While more traditional minestrones start with onions simmered in tomatoes, the use of a prepared tomato sauce and canned beans saves time. Chop whatever vegetables you have on hand in the refrigerator, carrots, a bell pepper, celery root, even turnip, create a nice depth of flavor. Add some stock, water, and pasta to the pot and cook until the pasta is just tender.

The finishing touches on our minestrone are the chopped greens and fresh herbs. I’m starting to notice all sorts of local greens popping up in the market. After a long winter of root vegetables, fresh greens such as spinach and kale are a luxury. Feeling adventurous? Try some dandelion greens.

Minestrone always gets its final seasoning at the end of the cooking. Fresh herbs such as chives, chopped basil or parsley brighten and focus the flavors. Taste the soup and season generously.

Serve Easy Spring Minestrone with plenty of grated cheese, some crusty bread and a nice fruit salad for dessert.

Cheryl Wixson lives and cooks in Stonington. She welcomes food-related questuions and comments at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Easy Spring Minestrone

Serves 6

2 cups prepared tomato sauce or pizza & pasta sauce

1 can beans, rinsed and drained (garbanzo, black beans, red kidney) (about 1½ cups)

1 cup stock (vegetable or chicken)

2 cups water

1 cup veggies, chopped (bell pepper, carrots, celery)

1 cup penne pasta

2-3 cups chopped fresh greens like spinach or kale

chopped chives or basil

sea salt & fresh pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

In a heavy soup pot, combine the tomato sauce, beans, stock, water, beans, chopped, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook, covered, for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just cooked.

Stir in the chopped greens. Taste the soup and season to taste with the chives or basil, sea salt and fresh pepper. Ladle into soup plates and garnish with grated cheese.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 208 calories, 11 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fat, (0 grams trans fat), 300 mg. Sodium, 9 grams fiber.

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