Italian Inspired Vegan Minestrone Soup
Minestrone is a classic hearty vegetable stew. This version contains orzo and cannellini beans and is completely vegan! This is the perfect fridge raid recipe, perfect for using ingredients you already have in your cupboards and fridge!
Ingredients
- 1 Onion
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 4 Carrots
- 1 Courgette
- 1/2 Bell pepper
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp Mixed Italian herbs
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Vegetable stock cube
- 2 Bay leaves
- 400 ml Water
- 400 g Tin cannellini beans
- 400 g Chopped tomatoes
- 125 g Orzo dry
- Parmesan to top
Instructions
- Start by dicing up the onion and fry off in some butter in a big saucepan until translucent. Mince or chop the garlic finely and add to the onion.
- I like a chunky soup so I chop up my veg roughly and add that to the onion and garlic being mindful of cooking times of the different veg.
- Next add in the mixed herbs, the bay leaves, salt and the whole tin of tomatoes, stir well to combine.
- Now fill the tomato tin with water and add that in to the pan with the veg and lastly add in the vegetable stock cube and put the lid on and simmer until the veg has partly softened.
- Once the veg is half cooked add in the orzo and the cannellini beans and put the lid back on.
- Simmer once more until the orzo is cooked this is best served al dente but cook to your preference.
- Season well before serving topped with some parmesan cheese and dipping in some ciabatta.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Pasta - If you don’t have any small pasta you could blitz big pasta in a food processor until it reaches the size of orzo grains. It will still have the same effect it will just be mor irregular in size.
Vegetable cooking time - To ensure no mushy or rock had vegetables make sure you add each one at the appropriate times to ensure they’re cooked to your liking. For example, carrots are harder so should go in first and bell peppers are softer so would be best put in a little later.