Soup recipes: How to make a hearty and filling minestrone soup for lunch

This is choc-a-bloc with vegetables, but it’s the bacon that packs a flavour punch

Minestrone soup is sure to fill you up

Looking for a warming lunch option on a cold January day? This minestrone recipe will fill you up and warm you up in one go. Packed with delicious vegetables, it calls for a slice of crusty bread for dipping. Enjoy! 

Minestrone soup

Nothing hits the spot quite like a hearty bowl of thick, chunky vegetable soup

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Starter

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• olive oil

• 100g bacon, chopped (optional)

• 2 onions, sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 potatoes, cubed

• ½ cauliflower in florets

• ¼ drumhead or hard cabbage, sliced

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 courgettes, sliced into sticks

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes

• 3 celery sticks, peeled to remove stringy bits and cut into batons

• 400g tin white beans (cannellini)

• basil, to garnish

• Parmesan, to garnish

• 2l chicken or vegetable stock

Method

1. Put the oil in a deep saucepan and warm up over a moderate heat.

2. Cook bacon, if using, then add onions and garlic until softened.

3. Next add the cabbage, cauliflower, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, add the tomato purèe and cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. Now add the tomatoes, the beans and stock. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Add the peas, green beans and cooked pasta. Warm them through. Put a portion into a deep bowl and sprinkle with chopped basil. Serve with a side of parmesan.
   This recipe is from Nick Price, author of The Accidental Chef, published by Booklink