Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

Tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 leek trimmed and finely sliced
2 medium courgettes, diced

1 sweet red pepper, sliced
1.5 litres chicken (or vegetable) stock
50g dry spaghetti
1 tbsp tomato puree
100g curly kale or green cabbage, thickly shredded
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt & pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the onion very gently for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured, stirring often.  Add the garlic, leek, peppers and courgettes to the pan with the onion. Stir over a low heat for a couple of minutes, then stir in the chopped tomatoes and dried basil, pour over the chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Break the spaghetti into short lengths and drop them into the pan. Add the tomato puree and bring the soup back to the boil, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale or cabbage and cook for another 5 minutes or until the pasta is just tender.

Season the soup with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. 

You can make this soup to use up vegetables such as carrots or sweet potatoes - just add them in with the other vegetables.

Serving Size: Makes 6 portions