Bring the taste of home to your campsite with this easy-to-prep hearty soup. Serve with a salad and thick, rustic bread to make it a complete meal. 

Makes 6-8 servings.

Equipment:

• Dutch oven
• Cooking tripod

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps. olive oil
• 2 tbsps. unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
• 1/2 pound ground beef or chicken, sauteed with onion
• Salt
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced, about 1 ¼ cups
• 6 medium stalks celery, diced about 2 cups
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced, about 2 cups
• 1 large zucchini, diced, about 2 cups
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 2×3 inch fresh Parmesan cheese on rind
• 1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 can (15-ounce) white or red beans, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 medium lemon
• 1 jar basil pesto
• 4 cups baby spinach or baby kale
• 1 cup pasta, shape of choice

Steps:

1. Place Dutch oven on grate over fire, add olive oil and unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted and begins to sizzle, add diced onion, meat and 1 tsp. salt. Sauté until onions have softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook until brightened in color, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potato and sauté until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in zucchini and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Shave Parmesan cheese wedge and set shavings aside. Add Parmesan rind, tomatoes along with juices, chicken or vegetable broth, and beans. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer until carrots and sweet potato are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Remove Parmesan rind and discard.
6. Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1 tbsp.). Stir in 2 tbsps. pesto, baby spinach or baby kale, and pasta. Simmer until combined, the pasta is tender and the greens wilt. Season with more salt as needed.
7. Serve soup into bowls and sprinkle Parmesan cheese shavings on top. Drizzle with more basil pesto.