Hearty Minestrone Soup

Recipe -- Minestrone Soup

 

This hearty soup is a meal in itself and delicious served with crusty bread. Minestrone is low fat and packed with vegetables. As we know it is always a chore getting the kids to eat their veggies, but they will be back for seconds of this tasty soup. Minestrone is a traditional Italian soup, hence the tomato base. It is simmered on low heat to bring out the flavours and seal in the nourishment.

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Ingredients

  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • 3 carrots, cubed
  • 1 capsicum, cubed
  • 2 large potatoes, cubed
  • 2 zucchinis cubed
  • 1 cup green beans, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup cabbage, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 litre Campbell’s vegetable stock
  • 1 Massell vegetarian stock cube (available from the supermarket)
  • 2 × 400g cans Italian diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup pasta of your choice
  • 310g can cannelloni beans or baked beans
  • Salt, pepper
  • Grated parmesan cheese and/or sour cream for garnish

Method

Heat oil and butter in large pan, add onions, and cook over medium heat until onions are pale golden brown

Add carrots; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Repeat this procedure with the potatoes, then the capsicum, zucchini, beans and cabbage.

Stir in stock, crumbled stock cube and undrained tomatoes.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer 1½ to 2 hours or until soup is thick.

During last 15 minutes of cooking add pasta, stir in drained cannelloni or baked beans and peas, season with salt and pepper and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or parmesan cheese or both.

Serves 6