Busy Day Lifesaver
Minestrone is a firm favourite around here. It's more of a meal than a soup. I love having a pot of it on standby to grab and go when I need especially on busy days.
This is like my usual minestrone however I have used some seasonal summer staples to make it. That includes delicious cherry tomatoes, green beans, corn and courgettes.
If you have herbs in your garden, they should be full of life and ready for picking. If you don’t have herbs in your garden, I suggest it’s time to start growing even one type. Herbs can take something simple from zero to hero. There is no comparison between dried and fresh.
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
500g Good quality juicy tomatoes
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
800ml vegetable stock
2tbsp tomato puree
½ courgette
100g green beans
100g sweetcorn
A handful of chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, basil)
1 bay leaf
400g tin of white beans (cannellini/ butter beans/ chickpeas)
1 handful of kale or spinach
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Directions
- Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion, courgette, green beans and garlic. Roughly chop the kale/ spinach and herbs.
- Heat a little oil in a medium sized pot and add the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Cook off until everything breaks down and the tomatoes begin to burst. This should take about 7 minutes.
- Next add in the stock and tomato puree and give it a stir bring to the boil, let simmer for 5 minutes and blitz using a hand blender until smooth.
- Add in the courgette, green beans, corn and whatever fresh herbs you are using. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
- Rinse and drain the beans and add to the pot as well as the chopped kale/spinach.
-
Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.