Right now you probably have canned soup lurking somewhere in your pantry. If you do, that means you have the start to a really great meal. Here, DIY chef Margie Potts tells you how to make two different meals that get their start from common canned soup favorites. Pasta Fagioli and Mediterranean Chicken Soup are minutes away from your dinner table.
Margie’s Pasta Fagioli Pantry SoupIngredients: 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil (use 1 Tbs. if not using sausage)
1 cup onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb. Italian sausage, casing removed
1-1/2 cups water or 1 cup water and 1/2 cup white wine
14 oz. can low sodium, low fat chicken broth 1
15 or 19 oz. can of cannellini (white northern beans), drained
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, Italin herb, undrained
1/2 cup ditalini pasta, uncooked (can substitute any other tiny pasta)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
2 Tbs. fresh parsley or basil, chopped
Garnish: Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, shaved or shredded and chopped parsley Steps: - Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add diced onion, garlic and lean sausage. Saute five minutes until onion is tender and sausage is browned, breaking up sausage while cooking.
- Add water, broth, beans, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Add pasta, cover and reduce heat to medium and cook nine minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in fresh parsley.
- Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and extra parsley.
Note: To substitute dried spices for fresh spices, use one teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh.Mediterranean Chicken Soup Ingredients: 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1-1/2 cups water or 1 cup water and 1/2 cup White Wine
14 oz. can low sodium, low fat chicken broth
14.5 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup farfalline pasta (little bow-shaped pasta), uncooked.
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken (use canned or leftover cooked
chicken; approx. 2 cooked chicken breast halves)
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped Steps: - Heat olive oil in large sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add diced onion. Saute four minutes until onion is tender. A
- Add water, broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper and bring to boil.
- Add pasta and reduce heat to medium and cook nine minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in shredded or cut chicken pieces and warm thoroughly. Stir in parsley.
- Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
Note: To substitute dried spices for fresh spices, use one teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh.
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