I wasn’t intending to buy baby bok choy.  In fact, I had never bought the leafy green before.

But it caught my eye as I strolled the produce display, looking for a red pepper, in my recently re-arranged supermarket. I saw it and my brain leaped to the idea of “Soup!”

Attention-getting label on baby bok choy

When I got home and unloaded the bags, I realized that some other shopper, or maybe even a produce clerk, had put back the bok choy and mistakenly turned the recipe-labeled side of the package so that it was facing the shoppers. On the other side, there is a small label on the big product window, as is normal for packaged greens.  I wouldn’t have bought it (or all the other soup ingredients, which I did), probably, if all I had seen was the usual view.

Perhaps words or information about the leaf persuaded me more than the leaf itself.

In any event, keep reading for my version of the recipe for the soup, which was easy and good. My variations are in purple.

Baby bok choy, undone

Trattoria Baby Bok Choy Minestrone

Serves 4.

1 package (16 oz.) baby bok choy [or, same amount fresh spinach]
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. dried herbs mix of oregano, bay leaves, and thyme [or, same amount of McCormick’s Italian Seasoning]
12 oz. canned red kidney beans [or, white]
28 oz. canned Italian plum tomatoes
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. water or veg. broth
3 oz. basil pesto as topping [or, grated parmesan cheese]

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and sauté until lightly browned.  Add tomatoes with liquid, and break them up in pan with fork.  Add herbs, drained and rinsed beans, and bring soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, separate leaves of baby bok choy, wash, and slice in half lengthwise, then into 2-inch segments [see photo, above]; add to minestrone mixture.  Bring to boil again, then cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.  Add water or veg. broth and heat for a minute. Serve hot with pesto or parmesan cheese.

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Original recipe from Bon Campo® Trattoria Baby Bok Choy, by Merex Food Corp. Photo of my hands holding bok choy package by Jimmy.