Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Soup Serves 8
Winter is coming and that means soup time!!!! Hearty, nutritious, minestrone soup is a tasty crowd-pleaser. Easy way for the children to eat vegetables without them knowing.
Use substitutions such as spelt or vegetable pasta options or gluten free. Use organic produce where possible.
Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 red onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1 zucchini
- 1 small leek
- 1 large potato
- 1 x 400 g tin of cannelloni beans
- 2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
- olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 2 x 400 g tins of whole tomatoes
- 1 litre organic vegetable stock
- 1 large seasonal greens, such as savoy cabbage, curly kale, chard
- 100 g wholemeal pasta
- ½ a bunch of fresh basil , optional
- Parmesan cheese
Method
- Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion. Roughly chop the carrots, celery and courgette, place in bowel
- Quarter Leek length ways, wash it under running water, then cut into 1cm slices. Add to the bowl.
- Scrub then dice potato. Drain the cannellini beans, then set aside. Finely slice the bacon.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut 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, leek, oregano and bay and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the potato, cannelloni beans and whole tomatoes, then pour in the vegetable stock. Stir well, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon.
- Cover with a lid and bring everything slowly to boil, and simmer for 30 mins, or until potato is cooked.
- Remove and discard any tough stalks bits from the greens, then roughly chop.
- Using a rolling pin, bash the pasta into pieces while it’s still in the packet or wrap in a clean tea towel.
- Check potato’s are cooked, Add the greens & pasta to the pan, and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Sprinkle basil leaves and stir through. Salt and Black pepper to taste & serve with a grating of Parmesan and slice of desired bread.
