Winter minestrone
Soups & stews
Winter minestrone
Thick, filling minestrone. Make ahead if you can – the flavours of this vegan soup come together when it's left for a few hours, and it tastes even better the next day. This is a very adaptable recipe – use whatever greens you have in your veg box, and whatever white beans are in the cupboard, Instead of pasta you could also use farro, spelt or pearl barley. If you aren't vegetarian, this is good with a handful of roast chicken or turkey thrown in.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 leek, finely shredded
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 600ml veg or chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tin cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ green (any type) cabbage, leaves shredded
- 100g small pasta shapes, e.g. orzo, or spaghetti broken into small pieces
- handful fresh parsley, chopped
- handful Parmesan, grated
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic, leek, celery and carrot.
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Step 2
Fry for 10 minutes on a low heat, stirring now and then.
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Step 3
Add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaf. Season and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Step 4
Add the beans, cabbage and pasta.
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Step 5
Cook for 10 minutes or so, until the pasta is just cooked and the cabbage wilted.
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Step 6
Check the seasoning.
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Step 7
Stir in the parsley to serve and sprinkle the Parmesan on top.
