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Minestrone Soup
As we step towards winter, our home-cooked meals become increasingly comforting and cosy. There’s nothing quite like the fragrance of simmering soup on the chillier days – for us at JSHealth, it’s a welcome reminder that the change of season brings a new opportunity to nourish and nurture ourselves.
This classic Minestrone Soup is one of our top recipes for the cooler months. It’s packed full of seasonal veggies like zucchini, leek and celery, complete with hearty pulse pasta and nutrient-dense kidney beans to warm you up from the inside out. Make a big batch and enjoy over a couple of days or freeze in portions for later!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 leek, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- sea salt + black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 zucchini, finely diced
- ¼ bunch parsley, stems chopped & leaves reserved
- 4 cup (1L) vegetable stock
- 1 400g (14.1oz) tin tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 200g (7oz) pasta of choice, we used pulse pasta
- 1 400g (14.1oz) tin kidney beans, or lentils, drained and rinsed
To serve
- 1/8 bunch parsley, leaves picked
- 30g (1oz) parmesan, grated, optional
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the leek, carrot, celery and season with sea salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and place a lid on the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
- Once softened, add the bay leaves, garlic, zucchini and parsley stems. Sauté for a further 3 minutes. Then pour in the vegetable stock, tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring the soup mix to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Whilst the soup is simmering, cook the pasta as per the packet instructions. Drain and rinse.
- Add the cooked pasta to the soup along with the rinsed beans. Season to taste and serve topped with fresh parsley leaves and grated parmesan, if using.
Notes
Pasta options we recommend include: pulse pasta, brown rice pasta or buckwheat pasta. If you tolerate gluten you can also opt for wholemeal or spelt pasta. If using regular pasta you can add an additional protein source if you wish e.g. stir in an extra tin of beans or serve topped with a boiled egg each.
