Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, a large pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper, and sauté for 5–6 minutes, until the veggies are soft.

Step 2

Reduce heat to low, add the garlic, bay leaf and Italian herbs, and continue to sauté for another 2–3 minutes, until very fragrant. Garlic burns easily, so watch it carefully, or reduce the heat until you add the liquid.

Step 3

After the garlic is cooked and very fragrant, add the tomatoes with their juices and cook another minute. Next, add the beans, stock, plus 3 cups of filtered water (you’ll need 7-8 cups of liquid total; any combo of stock and/or water works). Add 2 teaspoons of sea salt and a few big pinches or turns of your black pepper grinder. Adjust the salt as needed depending on your liquid—add another teaspoon or two to taste if using no-salt-added stock.

Step 4

Turn the heat to high to let it come to a boil for one minute. If using uncooked noodles, add the 1/2 cup uncooked noodles now and cook at a high simmer/low boil until the noodles are cooked through, usually about 8 minutes. If your noodles are already cooked, add them now and reduce the soup to a simmer. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Turn off the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and add the greens. Fresh or frozen greens both work well. Allow the greens to heat through the hot soup for about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Step 6

Serve immediately, or cool to room temperature to refrigerate or freeze. Will keep in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.