Minestrone

Soup is the essential food of winter. Minestrone soup is a hearty and healthy winter warmer.Minestrone is loaded with healthy vegetables in a flavourful broth.

Perfect soup to clear out the fridge. You can chop up virtually any vegetables you like. Also throw in the last bits of dried pasta you have, shapes and sizes don’t matter.

Beware the leftovers get very thick since the noodles absorb much of the liquid. But just add a little more broth and some salt and pepper to taste and you have a newly re-hydrated soup.

Ingredients (serves 4)

55g (1/3 cup) macaroni
1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
1 medium (about 150g) carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 x 425g can chunky crushed tomatoes
250ml (1 cup) vegetable stock
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
25g green beans, topped, diagonally cut into 3cm lengths
1 tbs finely grated parmesan
4 crusty white bread rolls

Method

1.Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions until al dente. Drain.

2.Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion softens.

3.Add tomato and stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes or until carrot is tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

4.Add pasta, cannellini and green beans. Cook for 3 minutes or until green beans are bright green and tender crisp. Ladle soup among bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with rolls.