My social media account is filled with people uploading pictures of their snow holidays. Every other person is going somewhere and almost all the pictures they post look like wallpaper. The closest I have been to snow is the frost that builds up in my mom’s fridge. True story!
Nevertheless, it is some consolation that the weather has been pretty cool recently as it has been raining a lot here in Singapore. The current temperature is perfect for hot chocolate and of course soups too. I call this the “soup weather”.
When the weather turns cold, all you wanna do is to snuggle in your blankie and stay warm. This is certainly not the time for cold salads. We need something warm and this hearty minestrone is the perfect cold-weather meal. I mean soups are supposed to be food for the soul right?
This soup is loaded with veggies but that doesn’t mean it’s all boring as I did sneak in some butter and parmesan in there, so you know this is gonna be good. There is also some black pepper and chili to give you that subtle heat that you require during freezing weather.
You can use chicken stock however if you want to make this soup vegetarian, then opt for vegetable stock. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have in hand for this soup. Keep in mind that garlic, onion, carrots, and celery adds flavor to this soup. Even though there are some beans and pasta in the soup to make it substantially filling on its own, feel free to serve it with a side of crusty bread in case you want some carbs to go along with this soup.
Do give this Minestrone Soup Recipe a try. This is the kinda recipe that allows you to clear your vegetable drawer. Use whatever veggies you have in the fridge. Put that half a zucchini or the almost dying carrot to good use. Basically, this soup isn’t just easy, it is economical too!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large yellow onion, cubed
- 1 small capsicum, cubed
- 1 medium carrot, cubed
- 1 cup sweet peas, halved
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 2 leeks, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 red chilies, sliced
- 2x 400g canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup canned white beans
- ¾ cup small pasta, elbows, shells, orecchiette
- 5 cups chicken/vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese,
- Parsley for topping
- Heat the oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, chili, and bay leaf. Saute for a few minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute for a further 30 seconds.
- Add the carrots, celery, capsicum and leek.
- Season with salt, black pepper and mixed herbs.
- Add chicken stock and canned tomatoes.
- Once the vegetables are tender, add the pasta till al-dente.
- Add the white beans and sweet peas.
- Mix in chili flakes and parmesan and top with parsley. Add more salt if required.
- Serve in bowls. Top with more parmesan if preferred.
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