Hearty 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.
Hearty Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 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 season with salt and pepper and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or parmesan cheese or both.
Serves 6
