Quinoa e Fagioli

I don’t know what it is about quarantine but it’s made me revisit all of my favorite Italian recipes. Maybe it’s Italian food is my ultimate comfort food but more likely it’s because these recipes rely heavily on pantry staples! One of my favorite recipes ✨QUINOA E FAGIOLI✨ my take on pasta e Fagioli, a classic Italian white bean soup. I developed this recipe when we lived in a van - it’s quick and easy to make and full of flavor! Here’s what you need:

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 onion, small dice
1 medium carrot, small dice
1 medium zucchini, small dice
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans white beans, drained not rinsed
2 quarts broth
1/2 cup quinoa
Salt

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add onions and sauté on medium heat until just translucent, 8-10 minutes.
2. Add carrots and continue cooking until onions are soft and carrots are bright orange, 7-8 minutes.
3. Add garlic and zucchini and cook until garlic is fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add beans and mix until well combined
5. Add broth, bring to a boil then down to a simmers
6. Using an immersion blend blender a little bit of the soup to help thicken - blending in one place for 30 seconds. If you do not have an immersion, transfer 1-2 cups of soup with veggies to a blender, blend and then mix back into the soup.
7. Add quinoa into the soup cover and cook, 15 minutes
8. Remove lid and continue cooking until soup is slightly reduced, 15-20 more minutes
9. Once reduced salt to taste and add some freshly cracked pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with good olive oil, flakey sea salt, more pepper and Parmesan cheese