Thank you, Stacey. I was also leaning away from the pasta as it just adds carbs.

Very tasty as is, but you could add some kale if you like it.

You forgot onions.

I too would skip the cream cheese. IMO, completely unnecessary :-) What you have as-is is very close to a minestrone, especially with the addition of pasta. And whatever other veggies you might find in your crisper to add to it - kale, spinach, squash, broccoli, etc. And certainly some onions and garlic!

Depending on how much of the cream cheese you were planning to add, you may be coming out with a lower level of carbs with the pasta in place of the cheese.

I ike barley myself

You could throw in some frozen corn.

Chopped onions.

We like barley too, but not with potatoes. If I were making it for us, I'd add a little cream right before serving. I don't think I'd add the cream cheese, but you know best what you and hubby like.

Definitely garlic and onions. I must have a soup recipe or two that doesn't include them, but none that I've made recently ;)

I'm with the delegation that is for adding onions and garlic.

Is there a reason you might add Cream Cheese? I wouldn't, but that's me. You might sprinkle some shredded cheese on top for serving, but I wouldn't stir it in.

I'm not a big fan of Kale, but that would be good in this dish.

Needs onions and garlic....and a bay leaf. And I would add beans....They add protein and fiber. but to me cream cheese doesn't go in a vegetable soup that is not milk/cream based.

Green pepperw ould be a good add if you have some in the house and perhaps some cumin for a little southwest vibe......and chopped spinach....I liket hat better than kale....and/or some cabbage.

No need for any cream cheese. If you want to thicken the soup you can mash some of the beans or jujj them with an emersion blender and then add to the soup. And I agree, garlic and onion. You could add peppers too...red or green. I love pepper and sausage together. I almost always make soups with mirapoix (carrots, celery, onion) and garlic.

Of course, I'm assuming that by now the soup is done...but maybe for next time....

Yum! Nothing else needed...

I did forget to say that I started with sautéed onion, as do most of my soups. I also added an orange pepper. Forgot to mention that, too.

DH is not a fan of garlic, even though I grow it every year, so I only use it sparingly.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Everyone liked it, even my grandson!

Orange pepper was a good addition, and I'm sure it was fine with just onions and no garlic.

Adding spinach (which you can still do if you have leftovers) would make it more like minestrone, but I've never put sausage in my minestrone.

If I were making it, I would have added a couple of chile de árbol (for heat), a couple of guajillo or pasilla chiles, and some oregano. I would not add cream cheese, but I might add some grated cheddar and some chopped cilantro (or some parsley) when serving.

I made some bean soup recently (and had leftovers last night), but mine did not have sausage, although I do have sausage on hand. It sounds like a good addition!

Minestrone can be made with or without meat but if meat is included, it is most often sausage meat. Since there is no set recipe for minestrone - it tends to have countless regional variations - but it always includes beans and pasta with stock in addition to an assortment of whatever vegetables one may happen to have on hand, often very seasonal. And I would keep any seasonings or other flavorings very Mediterranean in origin - thyme, oregano, basil (no cilantro), parmesan cheese (never cheddar or cream cheese) and no chilis or added heat.

I would agree ... apart from the sausage. Pancetta or, failing that, bacon. I’ve never come across a Minestrone using any kind of sausage

I almost always add chilies to any bean soup that I make, but I do not call it minestrone. I add cilantro if I happen to have it on hand, but I always add Italian parsley to minestrone. I like to mix things up a lot, and I do not restrict myself to any tradition. There are a lot of traditions that I only partially like, and so more often than not, I omit a few traditional ingredients and create something that I like much better. I feel the same about adding ingredient that I particularly love, such as chilies. I do not follow anyone else's rules unless I happen to like them.

I also added beans.

I almost always use spicy sausage. I do have frozen jalapenos from last summer but forgot all about them.