My mum makes the best minestrone soup- it's revived me from coughs and colds more times than I care to remember and is easy as pie to make.
It's great in winter or if you're working long hours as a big batch can last a week by simply adding some extra passata, veggies and beans every day or two.
This soup is all about seasoning which I think is a very individual thing. The measurements for the herbs are just a guide so adjust as your taste buds demand!
This is also very chunky with a high veggie to liquid ratio, like a soup stew.
You will need:
Olive oil
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 baking potatoes
2 big carrots
1 red and 1 yellow pepper
a handful of closed cup mushrooms
a handful of fresh basil
chilli flakes
dried thyme
black pepper
Marmite
1x chicken oxo cube
2 x 400 ml cartons of passata
400 ml boiling water
75g spaghetti or macaroni (dried)
A splash of red wine (optional)
1. First splash about a tablespoon of olive oil in a big saucepan (ideally a stewing pan) and chop the onion and garlic finely. Add this to the oil and fry gently until soft.
2. Peel the potatoes and carrots. Chop the potatoes into 2cm cubes and the carrots into thin slices. Add these to the onion and garlic (add a little more oil if needed) and fry on a low heat to soften the veggies. You need to keep them moving do they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Deseed the peppers, chop into roughly 1cm squares and add to the pan once the potatoes have started to soften and brown a little. You need to keep them moving so they don't stick the bottom of the pan.
4. Once the pepper skins start to soften add the passata and boiling water, put the lid on the pan and let is simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes. (You can add less water if you prefer a thicker soup)
5. Time to season. Tear or chop (your choice, but tearing makes me feel more European!) the fresh basil and add to the pan along with 1 teaspoon of thyme and some chilli flakes (you choose the spice level- I like it hoooooot!). Add a few grinds of black pepper.
6. Add 2 teaspoons of marmite, the oxo cube and a good glug or two of red wine- these elements give the flavour a bit of depth so again be liberal if you like it more 'beefy'!
8. Slice the mushrooms thinly and add to the pan.
9. if using spaghetti, break into 3cm lengths and add to the pan- if using macaroni just bung it in!
10. Cover until the mushrooms and spaghetti are cooked.
11. Serve in a big bowl with a good grating of parmesan and warm crusty bread with butter- Lush!
You will need:
Olive oil
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 baking potatoes
2 big carrots
1 red and 1 yellow pepper
a handful of closed cup mushrooms
a handful of fresh basil
chilli flakes
dried thyme
black pepper
Marmite
1x chicken oxo cube
2 x 400 ml cartons of passata
400 ml boiling water
75g spaghetti or macaroni (dried)
A splash of red wine (optional)
1. First splash about a tablespoon of olive oil in a big saucepan (ideally a stewing pan) and chop the onion and garlic finely. Add this to the oil and fry gently until soft.
2. Peel the potatoes and carrots. Chop the potatoes into 2cm cubes and the carrots into thin slices. Add these to the onion and garlic (add a little more oil if needed) and fry on a low heat to soften the veggies. You need to keep them moving do they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Deseed the peppers, chop into roughly 1cm squares and add to the pan once the potatoes have started to soften and brown a little. You need to keep them moving so they don't stick the bottom of the pan.
4. Once the pepper skins start to soften add the passata and boiling water, put the lid on the pan and let is simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes. (You can add less water if you prefer a thicker soup)
5. Time to season. Tear or chop (your choice, but tearing makes me feel more European!) the fresh basil and add to the pan along with 1 teaspoon of thyme and some chilli flakes (you choose the spice level- I like it hoooooot!). Add a few grinds of black pepper.
6. Add 2 teaspoons of marmite, the oxo cube and a good glug or two of red wine- these elements give the flavour a bit of depth so again be liberal if you like it more 'beefy'!
7. Now put the lid on and let it simmer again for 15-20 minutes until the potato is cooked and the carrots soften.
8. Slice the mushrooms thinly and add to the pan.
9. if using spaghetti, break into 3cm lengths and add to the pan- if using macaroni just bung it in!
10. Cover until the mushrooms and spaghetti are cooked.
11. Serve in a big bowl with a good grating of parmesan and warm crusty bread with butter- Lush!
This will do about 6 big helpings or 8-10 small bowls. You can keep adding a little more water, passata and veggies, beans or whatever you fancy as the week goes on, just keep it in the fridge.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Love Mrs T
X
