Vegetable Stew

The Polar Vortex wages on, and soup continues to appear on the menu.  To make soups a more filling dinnertime option, especially soups without meat or pasta, consider serving it in a bread bowl like we do with our Cheesy Tomato Soup.  With that being said, this soup is packed with both vegetables and protein, thickened up with a little evaporated milk and pasta, so no need for bread bowls this time around.  If you're cooking with lean meat, it's unlikely you'll have a lot of excess fat to drain from the pot, but it's good to scoop out whatever excess fat you can.  I had celery, baby carrots, and onion on hand, so that's what I chose to throw into the pot.  I called this a vegetable "stew" instead of "soup" because I thought it seemed particularly hearty.  In all honesty, I don't actually know the difference between "soup" and "stew," do you??

Vegetable Stew
Time: 45 minutes
Servers: 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey
2 tsp olive oil

3 cups diced vegetables (carrots, onion, red pepper, celery)
2 cloves garlic, minced
28-oz. can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
½ Tbsp dried basil
½ Tbsp dried oregano

½ Tbsp dried thyme

½ Tbsp dried sage

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup small pasta, such as stelline, orzo or elbow macaroni
½ cup evaporated milk

Directions 

1. In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, brown turkey, stirring frequently until no longer pink.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drain excess fat and set aside turkey.

2. Using the same Dutch oven, combine olive oil and diced vegetables.  Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 3o seconds.

3. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and spices to the pot.  Bring mixture to a simmer.  Add pasta, and continue heating on medium until pasta is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.  Finally, add evaporated milk, and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add turkey back to the Dutch oven, and heat until warmed through.  If necessary, season with additional salt and pepper.