Minestrone is the soup for people that never eat soup. It’s a deliciously satisfying comfort food that makes a great dinner, lunch or both. It is a versatile dish that will accommodate a wide range of different vegetables and variations to the recipe.
Minestrone
Minestrone is a classic, hearty Italian soup. It is more often a main course than an entree. It is a meal where you can use all the vegetables you have and include what-ever looks great when you are shopping.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or casserole pot
Ingredients
- 700 g passata, or 2 x 400g tins of diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 150 g bacon, roughly chopped
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 500 ml water
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 onion/s, diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 400 g red kidney beans, drained (or cannellini beans)
- 100 g small elbow pasta, or shells or macaroni
- 1 tsp salt and pepper to season
- 25 g parmesan, grated
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered and diced
- 1 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 100 g green beans, trimmed cut into 3cm lengths
- 60 g baby spinach
- ½ tsp oregano dried, optional
- 1 bay leaves
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion. Trim and roughly chop the carrots, celery, green beans and zucchini, then add the vegetables to a large bowl.
- Scrub and dice the potato. Drain the red kidney beans, then set aside. Slice the bacon.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry gently for 2 minutes, or until golden.
- Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, oregano and bay and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the potato, red kidney beans and passata, then pour in the vegetable stock and stir well. Cover with a lid and bring everything slowly to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potato is cooked through.
- Just before serving, stir through the baby spinach (if using), take out the bay leaf and serve immediately with grated parmesan and crusty bread.
Notes
This will store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, though the pasta will absorb some liquid, so just add a little more water when re-heating.Â
If freezing, rest the pot in a sink with cold water to cool quicker, then refrigerate overnight, then freeze first thing the next morning.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 16gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 356mgPotassium: 1514mgFiber: 11gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 3910IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 6mg
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