Hearty Vegetarian Minestrone Soup

When the fridge is bare, it's very easy to make this hearty minestrone from staples you've got in your cupboards and freezer. Including all those annoying pasta ends you've got lying around, left in packets and cluttering up your shelves.

This minestrone soup is super tasty - it might not be a good looker, but it goes down a treat!

Total Time: 1 hour  /  Serves 6  /  Recipe Source: Save with Jamie Oliver Recipe Book

Ingredients:

2 onions

1kg of mixture of carrots, celery and pumpkin

olive oil

1 vegetable stock cube

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 x 400g tin of borlotti beans

200g mixed dried pasta

200g frozen spinach

200g mixture of frozen peas and broad beans

1/2 loaf of ciabatta or stale bread

30g parmesan cheese

optional: red wine

extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1 Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F

2. Peel the onions, carrots, celery and pumpkin, cut into 1cm dice and put into a large pan with a good lug of olive oil. Cook around 10 minutes on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. then crumble in the stock cube and add the tomatoes, the beans and their juic, and 2 litres of boiling water.

3. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. 

4. Smash up and add in the pasta, along with the spinach, peas and broad beans, for the last 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile tear the bread into rough chunks and toss in a roasting dish with pepper and olive oil. Finely grate over most of the Parmesan, then roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy, turning halfway.

6. Season the soup to perfection, adding a swig of red wine (if you have), then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and grate over the remaining Parmesan. 

7. Serve with the crunchy rustic croutons on the side.