Beef & Bean Minestrone

40 min (programmable pressure cooker)
4 servings
$3.27/serving

Perfectly Balance Your Plate

Serve with 1 whole-grain roll.

Ingredients

2 tsp oil

¹⁄₂ lb (225 g) lean ground beef

1 can (14 oz/398 ml) red or white kidney beans

1 zucchini

1 can (28 oz/796 ml) unsalted diced tomatoes

3 cups water or broth

¹⁄₂ cup small pasta such as ditalini, macaroni, or shells

1 pkg Hearty Minestrone Seasoning

2 cups baby spinach

Toppings (optional): grated parmesan and drizzle of olive oil

Preparation

PROGRAMMBLE PRESSURE COOKER

In 8-quart programmable pressure cooker, program to SAUTÉ. Heat oil; add beef, breaking up chunks as needed.
Drain and rinse beans. Dice zucchini. Add beans, zucchini, tomatoes, water, pasta, and seasoning to pot.
Secure lid. Place steam release valve in SEALING position. Press MANUAL button, select HIGH, and set the time to 5 min. This will take some time to get up to temperature before the timer starts to count down.
When the cook time has finished, naturally release pressure for 10 min.
Using a long-handled spoon, push the steam release valve to VENTING position. Release pressure completely before opening lid.
Just before serving, stir in spinach.

SLOW COOKER

In sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef, breaking up chunks as needed. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Drain and rinse beans. Dice zucchini. Add beans, zucchini, tomatoes, broth, and seasoning to slow cooker. Cover; cook on high 3 hours. The liquid should be bubbling.
With about 20 min cook time to go, add pasta. Stir to combine. Cover; cook remaining 20 min or until pasta is tender.
Just before serving, stir in spinach.

Nutritional Information

Per serving (about 2 ¼ cups): Calories 360, Fat 9 g (Saturated 2.5 g, Trans 0.2 g), Cholesterol 30 mg, Sodium 380 mg, Carbohydrate 45 g (Fibre 11 g, Sugars 11 g), Protein 24 g.

Tips

Swap zucchini for 2 cups frozen or fresh mixed vegetables of your choice.