Minestrone

A delicious main course soup that's packed full of veg

On days when you fancy something warming but not too heavy then minestrone feels like it strikes the right balance. It's also packed full of different veg so it's a great way to up the variety in your diet and will get you well on the way to your 5 a day.

Minestrone is one of those dishes that causes much fierce debate among Italians and there are many regional variations, as well as seasonal adaptations. It's a very flexible dish but I always start with onion, carrot, celery and leek and finish with something green and ideally leafy. A summer minestrone might feature peas, greens beans and/or courgette, an autumn one mushrooms - you get the idea.

There is no getting away from the fact that this hearty soup requires a fair bit of chopping. This isn't one to throw together in half an hour! But on days where you have a little more time, I think it's worth the effort.

So think of this recipe as a template that you can adapt accordingly. The potato and beans are optional but do help make this hearty enough for a main course - I like tomatoes in my minestrone but they can also be left out if you're not keen. Red onions are great if you have some but there's no need to buy them specially - normal onions are also fine! You can also start by gently cooking some cubed pancetta with a teaspoon of olive oil until the fat runs if you're not vegetarian.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, diced
2-3 sticks celery, diced
2 leeks, quartered lengthways then chopped
1 large potato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaped tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tins plum tomatoes, discarding the juice, chopped
2 tins cannellini beans, drained
1l vegetable, chicken or ham stock
A few handfuls of shredded greens such as Savoy cabbage or spring greens
200g soup pasta (I like the tiny shells)
Fresh basil, shredded (optional)
Parmesan (or vegetarian equivalent) and olive/chilli oil, to serve

Method 

1. Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add onions, carrots, celery, leeks, potato, garlic and rosemary and sweat gently for about 15mins until tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of mins before adding the beans and stock. Simmer for 15 mins.
3. Add the greens and check the cooking time for the pasta. If the pasta needs 10mins, add it now, if it needs 5mins, cook the greens in the soup for a few mins before adding it.
4. Add the pasta and simmer the soup until the pasta is cooked. (In my experience, in a soup it will take a bit longer than the packet suggests) Scatter the basil over.
5. Serve with a drizzle of olive or chilli oil and a good grating of Parmesan.