Minestrone Soup … Hearty, Healthy and Delicious …

Minestrone Soup … Healthy, Hearty and Delicious

 

Well, it’s still cold and around here that means another pot of mouth-watering soup simmering on the stove. It’s the ultimate “comfort” food, isn’t it? Perfect for chilly nights, it warms you from the inside out!

 

I love Minestrone Soup because it’s packed full of yummy vegetables. Once you’ve got the base of the stock, tomatoes, garlic and bacon, it’s really just a case of tossing in whatever’s in the crisper in the fridge and it’s the ideal dish to use up those little bits and pieces that get left over. Once you’re done chopping, it simmers to perfection in no time at all … add a piece of crusty bread or sour dough and dinner’s served.

 

This is a really generous recipe and will make a huge pot of soup … probably more that you’ll need for a single meal. Either cut the recipe in half or freeze half for another night. If you do choose to freeze it though, divide the soup up before adding the pasta. Pasta doesn’t freeze all that well and some cooked pasta can be added when you defrost and reheat the frozen portion.

 

Enjoy!

 

Minestrone Soup … Hearty, Healthy and Delicious …
 
Author:
Ingredients ...
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 8 pieces shortcut bacon, diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 brown onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 large potato, peeled and diced into large cubes
  • 800g can crushed tomatoes
  • 5 cups (1.25 litres) beef stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ⅓ cup dried macaroni (or other pasta)
  • 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 400g can corn kernels
  • 100g green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 100g cabbage, roughly sliced
  • salt, pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese
  • basil leaves
Method ...
  1. Add oil, garlic and bacon to a large pot and simmer gently for 2 – 3 minutes.
  2. Add carrot, celery, brown onion and potatoes and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes.
  3. Add crushed tomatoes, beef stock and bay leaf and simmer gently until vegetables are half cooked.
  4. Add macaroni, cannellini beans, tomato paste, corn, green beans and cabbage and simmer gently until pasta is just cooked.
  5. Season with salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with parmesan chees and basil leaves.

 

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