Name: Vegetable minestrone
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 brown onion (150g), chopped coarsely; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste; 1.5 litre (6 cups) water; 2 2/3 cup (500ml) vegetable stock; 2 cup (700g) bottled tomato pasta sauce (passata); 1 celery stalk (150g), trimmed, chopped finely; 1 carrot (120g), chopped finely; 1 zucchini (120g), chopped finely; 80 gram green beans, trimmed, sliced diagonally; 400 gram canned borlotti beans, rinsed, drained; 3/4 cup (135g) macaroni; 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

Vegetable minestrone

This is a speedier vegetarian version of this Italian classic, which usually uses dried beans and ham hocks and requires long cooking times.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 brown onion (150g), chopped coarsely

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste

1.5 litre (6 cups) water

2 2/3 cup (500ml) vegetable stock

2 cup (700g) bottled tomato pasta sauce (passata)

1 celery stalk (150g), trimmed, chopped finely

1 carrot (120g), chopped finely

1 zucchini (120g), chopped finely

80 gram green beans, trimmed, sliced diagonally

400 gram canned borlotti beans, rinsed, drained

3/4 cup (135g) macaroni

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

Method

1.Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add paste; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the water, stock and pasta sauce; bring to the boil.

2.Add celery to pan; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add carrot, zucchini and green beans; simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until carrot is tender. Add borlotti beans and pasta; simmer for about 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Season to taste.

3.Serve soup topped with basil, and sprinkled with shaved parmesan, if you like.

For an even quicker version, use 2 cups frozen mixed diced vegetables instead of the fresh vegetables added in step 2. You could use a can of red kidney beans if you can’t find canned borlotti beans.
Note

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Ingredients

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