Minestrone
This is a very old real Italian minestrone recipe that is full of flavor and is a meal on it’s own. It serves 4 with some left over for a late night snack. It may sound like a lot of work when you read the ingredients list, but really, it’s just chopping and really well worth it. It’s traditional and a perfect winter soup. In fact you should always have a nice veg soup of some kind in the winter, helps keep the pesky flu away.
What you need
2 onions finely chopped
3 carrots chopped
3 sticks celery chopped
2 large potatoes chopped into squares
100g green beans chopped
250g cabbage shredded
125ml olive oil
3 tablespoons butter(45g)
1 ¼ litres water
3 cubes beef stock
2 tins peeled chopped tomatoes
1 tin cannelini beans
Salt and pepper
The process
Heat the oil and butter in a large pot, add onions and cook till the edges start turning brown. Add the carrots and potatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the celery, cabbage, water and tomatoes, then break up the stock cubes and crumble them into the pot. Bring it to the boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for covered for 1-1 ½ hours.
The soup should be fairly thick at this point, if it is not leave the lid off and simmer for a further 15 minutes, now add the beans, season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 15 minutes.
We like to serve it with garlic bread and a little parmesan.
Hi Graham
How much does this soup recipe make
I like to make soup and have for 2 days – 2 people
Would I need to double up on this recipe?
Hi Charlene it makes 4 large servings but feel free to double up on it if you need to. Happy days G
What is the dark “purple” in the soup picture. It looks like kidney beans? Did you add any other kinds of beans besides the cannelini beans (ie: kidney, garbanzo beans???) I also added some italian seasoning. Delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kim, probably kidney beans! Most of the time I take a look what is in the cupboard and add bits and pieces to the recipes but the basis of the recipe is as it’s written. It’;s all about making them your own and finding the best combinations for your taste. Cheers for now, G
Hello,
Do you have any good pea soup recipes?
I do, just havn’t made it in ages and have not yet put it up. Will see what I can do, cheers for now G
Hi Graham,
Please can we have your pea soup recipe
Hi Palesa, will hook it out for you and post in the next day or so. Happy days G
This wasd incredible. Thanks It took a while to prepare but the compliments flowed in.
Thats fantastic, great to hear all enjoyed G
I made tis for the family yesterday and oh boy the pot was empty before you knew it, I do like Kim’s idea, by just adding to it unfortunately ill have to be making another one before I can do that. 🙂
Great stuff Sue, glad you enjoyed… double up next time!
Hi Graham
This has to be my favorite soup, there is nothing better than a hearty minestrone, I make it and just keep refilling when the pot gets low, this has to be th only thing that I love about winter. Wrap up and keep warm.
Thats a great idea, I’m sure it gets better and better as you keep adding.