I never seem to tire of this soup. Its richness comes from the different types of tomatoes in its base stock. The vegetables load it up with colorful flecks of orange, yellow, and green. It always reminds me of the Sunday afternoons when my mom cooked a large batch of vegetable soup for us to eat all day long. I enjoyed nothing more than sitting at our kitchen table eating bowl after bowl. I ate so much soup that when I stood up and walked, I could hear it swishing in my stomach.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (16 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (28 ounces) ground or crushed tomatoes
12 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4 cups tomato juice
1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 medium summer squash, diced
1/3 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn into smaller pieces
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the diced tomatoes, ground tomatoes, stock, tomato juice, chickpeas, kidney beans, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the zucchini, summer squash, and rice. Return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Add the peas, basil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook until thoroughly heated. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.