Easy Minestrone Soup
This should put a smile on the whole families face. It’s vibrant, flavoursome and easy to make. You don’t have to be strict about the ingredients you use – it really is a case of whatever veg you can find in the fridge or freezer, and any shape of pasta you have. Any leftovers can be heated through the next day with an extra splash of water if it’s too thick.
Recipe by Jo Pratt
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
3-4 veggies from your fridge (roughly 250g/9oz), chopped, such as courgette, carrot, red pepper, handful of green beans, small leek, broccoli
750ml hot vegetable stock
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes, or 750ml passata
100g spaghetti or linguine, broken into small pieces or small pasta shapes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Green pesto, to serve (optional)
Parmesan, to serve
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and bacon, if using, and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is beginning to soften.
2. Stir in the garlic, celery and any chopped vegetables you have. Cook for about 5 minutes, and then add the stock, tomatoes and spaghetti, linguine or pasta shapes. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables and pasta are all tender. Season with some salt and pepper.
3. Ladle into a bowls, add a spoon of pesto, if using, and grate over some Parmesan to finish.
Thank you to Jo for this recipe (Instagram: @cookwithjopratt)
Check out the Chiswick Cook Book Festival website here.
