Friday 20 July 2012

Garden Minestrone Soup (without the pasta) GF SCD

Minestrone Soup without pasta

This is such an easy quick soup to make and to be honest I don't miss the pasta. Full of plant based goodness, a warming bowl of this chunky Minestrone Soup is just what's needed on a rainy day like today.

Pouring down with rain in West Yorkshire

This has been the view from my kitchen most days this month! 

Garden Minestrone Soup GF SCD

2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 stick celery (optional)
4 medium carrots
1 small head of spring cabbage (collard greens)
400g can/packet organic chopped tomatoes
250g cooked haricot (navy) beans
100g (about a cup) frozen or fresh garden peas
3 tsps dried oregano
2 tsps dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
600ml (about a pint) stock or water
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

  • Finely chop the onions and wash and slice the celery.
  • Peel and slice the carrots.
  • Wash and thinly slice the spring cabbage.
  • Gently heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and add the onions and celery then fry gently for a few minutes until the onions become translucent.
  • Add the crushed garlic and the dried herbs.
  • Cook very gently for a few minutes.
  • Rinse the cooked haricot (navy) beans under cold water.
  • Add the bay leaf, carrots, cabbage, beans and tomatoes to the pan.
  • Pour the stock or water over the vegetables, they should be just covered. 
  • Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  • Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Add the frozen peas to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Minestrone Soup

Simmering Minestrone Soup

You can vary the recipe easily for example :
  • add some swede (rutabaga) cut into small cubes 
  • add some organic new potatoes cut into small pieces (not SCD)
Some more soups you may enjoy :