Winter Minestrone

This hearty minestrone is perfect for cold nights - and for using up the ends of vegetables in your fridge. Leave the ribs on the Swiss chard for some added texture.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ bunch (5 ounces) Swiss chard, trimmed and thinly sliced

5 ounces cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

2 carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced (2 cups)

5 cups homemade or no-salt-added vegetable broth

One (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1½ cups ditalini or other small macaroni

One (14-ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini or cranberry beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cloves, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the chard, cabbage and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots start to become tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the broth, tomatoes and ditalini. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer until the ditalini are al dente and the greens are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the beans and vinegar. Cook until the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Nutrition | Calories: 430; Total Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 490 mg; Carbohydrates: 63 g; Dietary Fiber: 9 g; Sugars: 14 g; Protein: 12 g.

(Adapted from "Vegan Everything: 100 Easy Recipes for Any Craving," by Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer. The Experiment, 2019.)