Instant Pot Beetroot (Beets) Pasta..Stovetop recipe included.

Hello everyone. Thanks for sticking around. I know it has been a (very, very) long time since my last post. Life got a little too busy for me after my second kid was born but I have no complains. I know these days won’t come back and I am cherishing each and every moment of it. 🙂

Speaking of not coming back, there is definitely something I truly wish wouldn’t come back ever again…COVID -19. The novel Coronavirus outbreak. 2020 has been a historical year for all of us. A year that has taught us to value the little things in life, to never take anything for granted. I just hope and wish we all come out of this pandemic safer and stronger.

And now coming on to the recipe I am sharing today. Instant Pot is my most loved and used kitchen appliance. I use it extensively to make Indian curries, daals, soups, rice, desserts, yogurt, meat and of course pasta. Once you make pasta in the instant pot, you will never make it any other way.  It practically makes itself and its ready sooner than the time it takes to boil the pasta. You can’t beat that. And the addition of Beets makes this not only healthy but also very pretty.

Lets make this Instant Pot Beetroot Pasta…

A video recipe of the pasta can be found on my You Tube Channel here

Ingredients:

Penne or Rotini Pasta – 2 cups

Olive Oil – 2 Tbsp

Garlic Cloves – 2, minced

Onion – 1 small, chopped fine

Uncooked Beets – 1 large, chopped fine (about 1 cup)

Dried Italian seasoning/Herbs – 1 tsp

Salt and pepper – to taste

Butter – 1 Tbsp

Water or broth – 2 cups

Cream Cheese – 1/4 cup

Milk – 1/2 cup

Shredded Cheddar Cheese – 1/2 cup

Parsley or Basil – Chopped, for garnish

Method:

1.  Turn your instant pot to sauté mode and wait till it displays hot. Once hot, add in the olive oil followed by the chopped garlic and onions.
2. Sautee for about 2 minutes and add in the chopped beets. Mix well and let it cook for another few minutes.
3. Add some water and deglaze the pan to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. This helps to prevent the dreaded BURN sign.
4.  Turn off the sauté mode and add in the pasta, water, salt, pepper and the Italian seasonings. Mix everything well.
5.  Close the lid. Make sure the sealing ring is well intact and set the valve to sealing mode. Pressure cook the pasta for 5 minutes followed by quick release.
6.  Open the lid carefully and add in the butter, cream cheese and the milk. Give it a good stir. Set the instant pot again on sauté mode. This will help to thicken up the pasta sauce.
7.  Finally add in the shredded cheese and give everything a good mix. Let it cook for a few minutes till you see a beautiful pink sauce coating the pasta.
8.  Turn off the pasta and serve immediately with some chopped parsley or basil.

 

Stovetop Version:

To make this on the stovetop, Cook beets and chop them finely. Boil pasta as per instructions. In a pan, heat oil and sauté garlic and onion for a few minutes. Add in the butter, cream cheese, milk, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Once everything comes to a boil, turn down the flame and add in the chopped cooked beets. Mix everything well to form a pretty pink sauce. Finally add in the cooked pasta and mix well. Throw in the shredded cheese and stir gently until the cheese is melted and the pasta is covered in beautiful pink sauce. Turn off the heat and serve immediately with chopped fresh herbs.

And that is how you make this pretty in pink pasta. I would love to know if you try this recipe. Thanks for stopping by.

Love,

Ritu.

 

 

 

 

 

Eggless Coconut Cake

Hello Guys. Thanks for sticking around. Hope 2018 is going great for you. I have been trying my best to get back to blogging but the girls keep me extremely occupied. I hope to be more regular but I really appreciate each one of yours effort to stay connected. Thanks a bunch 🙂

Today I am sharing a delicious coconut cake I baked a few days ago. It turned out much better than expected. Extremely soft and oh so flavorful. And when I shared a video of my Mid Night Baking on Facebook, I received so many requests for the recipe. So here I am again, back to writing. Frankly I owe it to you guys for keeping me motivated. Thanks for all the requests and appreciations, this cake is especially for you guys.

So Lets get onto the recipe.

Ingredients:

Freshly grated coconut or Dry desiccated coconut – 1 cup

All purpose flour – 1 cup

Semolina or Rava Sooji – 1 cup

Sugar – 1.5 cup

Thick Yogurt – 1 cup

Milk – 1 cup  (you might need more or less depending on the thickness of your curd)

Oil – 1/2 cup

Baking Powder – 1 tsp

Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp

Sliced Almonds and Pistachios – for Garnish

Procedure:

• Preheat your oven to 350F and grease an 8 inch cake pan well with nonstick spray.
• Mix together flour, semolina, coconut, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
• Add in the wet ingredients – Yogurt, Oil and Milk. Note that the quantity of milk used will vary based on how thick your yogurt is. We are looking for the consistency of a fairly thick but flowing batter (not runny). Just how a regular cake batter should be.
• Mix everything until well combined. Pour the batter in the greased pan and lightly tap it on the kitchen counter to release the air bubbles. Garnish the cake batter with sliced almonds and pistachios.
• Finally bake it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Since all ovens work differently, its best to check after 25 minutes. If your cake starts to brown but is still uncooked at the center, cover it with an aluminum foil and continue cooking till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Once done, take it out from the oven and let it rest on the kitchen counter for at least 20 minutes before unmolding it. Slice and enjoy this delicious cake.

So that’s how I made this delightful cake. Do let me know if you give this a try.

I hope to see you again soon.

Love, Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Paneer Pepper Masala

Hello everyone and a big thanks for still following me. My last post, SELRES_be1d1d0d-bb5f-40be-8ddb-031cfb02c5ceCarrot CakeSELRES_be1d1d0d-bb5f-40be-8ddb-031cfb02c5ce, is more than one year old now and so is my younger daughter. Life has been so busy that food blogging has taken a back seat for now. My girls make me so crazy but I wouldn’t want it any other way. The happiness kids bring to your life is above anything else and makes it all worth it. I do hope to get back to blogging, just don’t know when that will happen though.

I wasn’t planning on writing this post, which explain why I only have this lousy picture of the dish. I had made this Paneer curry at my elder daughter’s 5th birthday party and when I shared a video of it on my social media, I was flooded with recipe requests and finally decide to take out some time to pen it down. So thank you everyone who pushed me to share the recipe, this post is specially for you all.

Paneer Pepper Masala (Yeah I made up that name) is loosely inspired from the famous Paneer Tikka Masala recipe and is a much quicker version but an absolutely delicious one.  Without wasting any more time, lets head on to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Onion – 2 medium, chopped

Tomatoes – 3 medium, chopped

Garlic – 4 cloves, chopped

Ginger – 1/2 inch stick, chopped

Oil – 4 tbsp., divided

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander Powder – 1 tsp

Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – as per taste

Kasuri Methi Powder – 1 tsp

Heavy Cream – 1/4 cup

Paneer or Indian Cottage Cheese – 500 Gms, cut into cubes

Onion – 1 medium, Halved and layers removed

Green and red pepper – 1 each, cut into cubes

Cilantro Leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add in the chopped ginger and garlic and sauté it for a few minutes. Add in the chopped 2 onions and cook for 7 – 8 minutes till they are nicely cooked.
2. Now add in the chopped tomatoes and let the whole thing cook for another 5 minutes till the tomatoes are soft and mushy and start leaving oil. Turn off the gas and take it out on a plate to cool down. Finally blend this onion tomato paste in a blender and make a smooth paste and keep aside. You can strain this masala too if you like and have time.
3. Now in the same pan, add 1 tbsp. oil and add in the cubed layers of onion and sauté it on medium high flame. We are looking to give the onions a nice crisp. Now add in the cubed green and red peppers and do the same. Once, all three are nicely charred, take them off the flame and set aside.
4. Add the last 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, and sauté the cubed paneer cubes for a few minutes. You can skip this step and just use the paneer as is in the curry.
5. Now its time to assemble and bring together the final dish. In the same pan, add the onion tomato masala paste we had prepared earlier, and let it cook for a few minutes. Add in all the spices – salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and chilly powder. Mix everything well and cook for another minute or so.
6. Add in the sautéed onion, peppers cubes and paneer to this gravy. Cover and cook everything for 2 -3 minutes on medium flame.
7. Finally do a taste test to make sure all the spices are as per your preference. You can also add 1 tsp sugar to balance out the spices if you like.
8. As a last step add the kasuri methi powder and heavy cream. Let it simmer for 2 minutes and turn off the gas.
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve with your choice of Naan or Rice.
10. You can also use extra firm tofu instead of paneer. Just make sure to keep it pressed down under a heavy object for at least 30 minutes before cooking. 

…………
So that’s how I made this paneer dish. Do let me know if you give this a try.

Thanks again for sticking by and reading my blog. I really appreciate that.

Till we chat again, Love..Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tandoori Salmon…A delicious fish recipe

Welcome back to my page. I am so glad you have stopped by. Call me crazy but yeah this is my third tandoori recipe on my blog after Whole Tandoori Cauliflower and Tandoori Chicken. I do really like the flavors here, just marinate and bake. It doesn’t get any easier than this. Without wasting any more time, let’s make some delicious tandoori salmon. Feel free to use your choice of fish here.

Ingredients:

Salmon Fish – 1 pound

Thick yogurt – 3 tbsp

Ginger and Garlic paste – 2 tbsp.

Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp

Oil – 2 tbsp., more for basting the fish, as needed

Salt to taste

Tandoori Masala – 2 tbsp. (See notes for recipe or use store bought)

Method:

1. Wash your fish well and soak it dry. Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and the tandoori masala. Now coat the fish well in marinade. Finally drizzle 2 tbsp. oil on top and mix well. The oil helps the marinade to stick to the fish.
2. A zip lock works best here. Just transfer the marinade and fish pieces to a zip lock, mix well and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 – 2 hours.
3. Once you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking dish with foil. Carefully place the marinated fish on the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, turning mid ways to ensure even cooking. Apply some oil, if needed.
4. You know the fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Now, turn on the broil or grill mode and cook for a few minutes to get a beautiful color and crisp to your fish.
5. Serve it hot with some mint chutney and onion rings.

Notes:

Tandoori Masala Recipe

Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 2 tsp

Nutmeg Powder – 1/2 tsp

Black pepper Corns – 1 tsp

Whole Cloves – 1 tsp

Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece

Paprika – 1 tsp

Red color – 1/4 tsp (optional)

Roast all these spices in a pan for a few minutes until fragrant and ground to a fine powder. Use as needed.

So that is how I made this delicious fish. Do let me know if you give this a try.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love,

Ritu 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheese stuffed turkey meatballs..A slow cooker version

A big hello.  Hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather and looking forward to a gorgeous summer. Unless of course if you are in India, its a little bit too hot this year, as I have heard. Hope the rains bring some much needed relief soon. As for us, we are so ready for summer. 🙂

Sorry for missing in action for so long. I have not really been cooking much these days. There is however an exciting news coming up. Watch this space for more details.

Due to short of energy and time on hand, I have been experimenting a lot with my slow cooker these days. Besides trying a lot of Indian curries, I have also made some chicken, chili, meatballs etc. in this wonderful pot and have been more than pleased. 😀

For today’s post, I am making some cheese stuffed meatballs in my slow cooker. You can definitely bake them too. Check the notes below to know how. Without further delay, lets move on to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Ground Turkey – 1 pound (feel free to use your favorite meat)

Bread Crumbs – 1 cup

Egg – 1

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (String Cheese) – 4 (Or use any cubed hard cheese of your choice)

Garlic – 1 tsp, minced

Italian Seasoning – 1 tbsp.

Black pepper – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Marinara Sauce & Boiled Spaghetti – as needed

Chopped Parsley – for garnish

Method:

1. Cut each cheese sticks in about 6 pieces and freeze them for about 20 minutes.
2. In the meanwhile, take a mixing bowl and add in the ground meat, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix everything very well.
3. Now take out the cheese from the freezer. Scoop out a little bit of this meat mixture and roll it into a ball. Now push inside a cheese cube in the center of the ball and roll it again to seal the cheese inside the meat balls. Repeat the same with all the meatballs.
4. Grease the inside of your slow cooker and add some marinara sauce at the bottom. Now place the meatballs in a single line. Top with more marinara sauce and stack the remaining meatballs as needed. Top with some more sauce to cover the meatballs.
5. Cook this on low for about 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. The meat should no longer be pink.
6. Finally, serve it with some boiled spaghetti and garnish it with chopped parsley. Dig in.

Notes:

• If you would like to bake the meatballs, just place them on a greased baking dish and bake in a preheat oven at 400 F for 20 minutes.
• You can also make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. Cook them as needed.

So here is how I made this delicious and cheesy meatballs.

Thanks for stopping by at my page. Do let me know if you try this out.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makai (Makki) ka Dhokla or Corn Savory Steamed Cake

Hello everyone. I am sure by now you know how much I love Gujarati food. I probably have more Guajarati dishes on my blog then any other cuisine. Just in case you have missed them, here they are – Kutchi Dabeli, Aam ka Chunda, Cabbage Muthia, Microwave Khandvi and Oats Dhokla. Do check them out if you like Guajarati food as much as I do. 🙂

For today’s post I am sharing another dhokla recipe. This one is made with maize flour or Makai ka atta and also has some corn kernels to bite into. A pure healthy delight I must say. If you are like me and have lots of Makai ka atta left from those Maki ki roti you thought but never made, here is something you can use it for. And trust me, the dhokla is so good, you won’t regret buying some maize flour especially to make this.

Without wasting anymore time, let’s make some delicious dhokla 😛

Recipe inspired from here

Ingredients:

Maize Flour or Makai ka atta – 1 cup

Sooji – 1/4 cup

Corn Kernels – 2/3 cup

Thick yogurt – 1/2 cup

Sugar – 1 tbsp

Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Ginger paste – 1 tsp

Chopped green chili – 1/2 tsp (optional)

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Eno Fruit Salt – 1.5 tsp

Warm water – 2/3 cup

For Tempering:

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – a handful

Seasme Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Water – 2 tbsp

Chopped Cilantro and Shredded Coconut – for garnish

Method:

1. Mix together the maize flour, sooji, yogurt and warm water and keep it covered for 30 minutes.
2. Now add in the corn kernels, chopped chili, ginger paste, sugar, lemon juice, oil, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
3. Lightly grease a 7 inch pan and bring water to boil for steaming.
4. Once you are ready to steam, add the eno fruit salt to the dhokla mix, sprinkle some water to activate it and mix gently.
5. Steam the dhokla on medium flame for at least 20 minutes, till a toothpick inserted in the center of the dhokla comes out clean.
6. While the dhokla is steaming, we can make the tempering. Heat oil in a small pan and add in the mustard seeds. Once they crackle add the curry leaves, followed by sesame seeds and water. Cook everything for a few minutes and turn off the gas.
7. Once the dhokla has cooled down to room temperature, pour this tempering over dhokla and garnish with cilantro leaves and coconut.
8.  Cut the dhokla into desired pieces and serve with your favorite chutney.

So that is how I made this delightful dhokla. Do let me know if you try it out.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Pot Skinny Alfredo Pasta

Are you looking for a quick dinner that is ready in less than 20 minutes. True to its name, this pasta cooks all in one pot with its sauce and is ready to eat in half the time you will take to make it the traditional way. …

Also, no butter or cream used here. Cheese – optional. Quick, easy and healthy.
You can’t beat that. 🙂

Ingredients: 
Whole milk – 1 1/2 cup
Water or broth – 1 1/2 cup
Uncooked pasta – 8 oz, use any pasta of your choice. I have used fettuccini here
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves – 3, minced
Onion – 1 small, chopped
Red pepper – 1/2 chopped
Spinach leaves – 1/2 cup chopped
Salt to taste
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Red chilly flakes – as desired, optional
Parmesan cheese – 1/3 cup, optional. I did not add.

Method:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet and add the minced garlic and onion. Cook them for a few minutes.
2. Add in the red pepper and spinach and cook for a minute.
3. Next add in the milk, water, salt and pepper and let it just come to a simmer.
4. Break the pasta and add it to the boiling milk mixture. Mix gently and let the pasta cook for about 10 minutes at medium low, stirring every few minutes.
5. Cook just until the pasta is tender and switch off the flame.
6. Finally add in the chilly flakes and Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Enjoy this quick and healthy one pot version of your favorite pasta.

Thanks for stopping by. Do let me know if you try it.

 

Love,

Ritu 🙂

Stuffed Sweet Peppers..A delicious Appetizer

Hello everyone. Its that time of the month where I do my monthly column for the B’khush Magazine. It is an online magazine, catering to the South Asian population around the world. They write about varied topics ranging from fitness, beauty, parenting, DIY projects, recipes etc. Do check out their website – B’Khush – Upload Thoughts, Download Happiness.

My column in the magazine is called “Healthy Bites“. Through this column, I like to share such recipes that provide the nutrition, taste great and most of all you can enjoy them guilt free. Follow me here to make some easy and healthy dishes that you wouldn’t feel guilty about when you take that second serving.

Today I am bringing another healthy appetizer for you, just skip the cheese if you like, it will still be as delicious. These stuffed sweet peppers look very pretty and is sure to please all your guests.

Let’s hop on to the B’Khush Women website to get the recipe – here.

Update: The B’Khush website isn’t working at the moment so you can find the recipe here.

Ingredients:

Sweet mini peppers – 1 lb

Black Beans – 1 cup, rinsed and drained well, if using a can. (Or pressure cook and use as needed)

Frozen Corn – ¾ cup, cook in microwave for a minute

Salsa – ½ cup, Mild or medium taste, as preferred

Shredded Cheese – 1 cup

Salt and pepper – as per taste

Chopped Cilantro – for garnish

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and grease a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

2. Cut each of the pepper length wise and take out all the seeds.

3. In a bowl mix the black beans, frozen corn, salsa, salt and pepper.

4. Spoon this mixture into each of the peppers and bake it in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, till the peppers are just soft to touch and all the filling is heated through.

5. Top each of the peppers with cheese and let it bake for another minute or so, till the cheese is just melted.

6. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot.

Thank You for stopping by. Do let me know if you try it out.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Oats Dhokla..A healthy delight

A big hello to all of you. I am so excited the spring will be here soon. With the New England weather, you can’t really predict much but at least with all the Easter stuff floating around, it makes both me and my daughter very happy. She is looking forward to all the egg hunting and I can’t wait for some warmer days and outdoor activities. We have been lucky enough to have a reasonably warm winter this year and are really looking forward to a  gorgeous summer ahead. How is the weather like at your end..?

Healthy is my favorite kind of food. I do enjoy eating all the junk and the not so good for you desserts but they make me so guilty afterwards. Dang. So not worth it. 😦 I am therefore always on the lookout for healthy recipes – oats, quinoa, kale, chia seeds are some of the most frequent ingredients used in my kitchen. I have been cooking with oats a lot off lately and this dhokla or steamed cake recipe was as healthy as it was delicious. 🙂

Without wasting any more time, lets make this yummy treat..

Ingredients:

Oats – 3/4 cup, dry roast and make a powder – will yield 1/2 cup oats flour

Sooji or Semolina – 1/2 cup

Yogurt – 1/2 cup

Ginger and  green chilly paste – 1/2 tsp

Chopped Spinach or grated carrots – 1/2 cup (Use your choice of veggies)

Salt to taste

Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp.

Sugar – 1 tbsp.

Eno Fruit Salt – 1 tsp

Water – 1/4 cup, use as needed

Oil – 1 tbsp.

Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – a few

Chopped Cilantro for garnish

Method:

1. In a bowl mix together the oats flour, sooji, yogurt, salt, lemon juice, sugar, ginger and green chilly paste. Add water as needed to make a smooth batter of pouring consistency. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
2. Now mix in the spinach and give it a good stir. Add some more water if needed. The batter should be of pouring consistency but not too thick or thin.
3. Get your steamer ready or boil some water in a large pot or cooker. If steaming in the cooker, do not use the whistle.
4. Grease a 7 inch dish and keep it ready.
5. Once the water comes to boil, add in the eno fruit salt to the dhokla mix and give it a gentle mix, making sure not to over mix.
6. Pour the dhokla mix in the greased dish and let it steam on medium flame for at least 15 – 20 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. While the dhokla is steaming, we can prepare our tempering.
8. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter. Throw in the curry leaves and once they crackle, switch off the flame.
9. Once the dhokla is ready, pour this tempering over it and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
10. Finally, cut your dhokla pieces and serve with your favorite chutney. Enjoy this healthy snack.

….

So here is how I made this healthy and delicious dhokla. Do let me know if you try this out.

Thanks for stopping by. See you soon.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

Minestrone Soup..A healthy, winter delight

Hello everyone…Happy New Year. I wish you guys have a great year ahead. We welcomed the new year with family and friends and it was wonderful. My little one is back to school after her holiday break and we all are slowly getting into routine. What the new year also brought for us was our first snow of the season. It was all white and beautiful and my daughter absolutely loved it. 🙂

The winter is in its full swing right now with sub zero temperatures in our part of the world. We are trying our best to enjoy the cozy nights, snow ball fights, hot chocolate and of course a warm bowl of soup. Cause hey, you can’t really change the weather, all you can do is change your attitude and enjoy what life brings to you. 🙂

I made this hearty minestrone soup on one of these cold winter nights (Temperature 9F or -13C ) and it really lifted up our spirits. Its healthy, delicious and comforting. We relished it with some warm bread and embraced the beautiful winter night. Winter or not, this soup is delicious and can be enjoyed all year around. Lets make some…

Ingredients:

Olive Oil – 2 tbsp.

Onion – 1 medium, diced

Garlic – 4 cloves, minced

Carrots – 2 medium, diced

Celery – 2 medium, diced

Zucchini – 1 medium, diced

Chopped Spinach – 2 cups

Tomato Sauce or puree – 2 cups

Vegetable Stock – 6 cups

Boiled White or Garbanzo Beans – 1 cup, (rinse and drain if using canned)

Boiled Red Kidney Beans – 1 cup (rinse and drain if using canned)

Small Shelled pasta – 1/2 cup (Use your choice of pasta)

Salt and pepper to taste

Italian Seasoning – 2 tsp

grated cheese for garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot, and add in the minced garlic and onions. Let it cook for a few minutes.
2. Add the chopped carrots, zucchini and celery and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Next add in the tomato puree or sauce and let it cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Finally, mix in the vegetable stock, beans, spinach, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and let the soup cook for at least 20 minutes, on medium flame, stirring occasionally.
5. While the soup is simmering, cook your pasta, al-Dante. I like to cook it separately, because if you add it in the soup, the pasta ends up soaking all the liquid.
6. Once the soup has cooked for at least 20 minutes and has thickened up to your preference, give a final taste test and mix in the cooked pasta and switch of the gas. You can also mix the cooked pasta in the soup bowl to avoid thickening of the entire soup.
7. Garnish it with some shredded cheese and enjoy this warm bowl of goodness.

So that is how I made this delicious soup and warmed up a very cold winter night. Do let me know if you try it out.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂