The Best Bacon Beef Minestrone
"This is the best Minestrone Soup; with crisp bacon, beef, loads of vegetables, hearty beans and cooked in a delicious broth. Comfort food at it's finest!..."
INGREDIENTS
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1/4 lb bacon, cooked crisp and diced (if using pre-cooked bacon/turkey bacon, be sure to add a little additional olive oil when sauteing veggies and or beef)
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1/2 lb sirloin, diced (other cuts of beef may be substituted)
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1 onion, diced fine
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2 carrots, peeled, diced small (or sub. 1 cup of baby carrots, diced)
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1 leek, quartered, rinsed and diced small (white part and about 1 inch of green)
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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3 cups shredded green cabbage (store bought works great)
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1 small zucchini, grated or diced
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1 potato, peeled and diced into small cubes (I used a russet potato, but try other varieties)
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4 cups (32 oz) beef broth or stock (for a brothy soup, add additional 32 oz beef broth)
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2 cups chicken broth or stock
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2 tablespoons tomato paste
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5 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, divided (dried may be substituted)
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2 teaspoons dried oregano
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2 teaspoons dried basil
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1 teaspoon black pepper
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1-2 teaspoons sea salt (to taste, may need a little more or less)
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1-15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (may sub other white bean)
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1-15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (may sub black beans)
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4 ripe plum tomatoes, diced or 1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
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1/2 - 1 cup small pasta shells
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Parmesan cheese for garnish, freshly grated
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