Healthy Minestrone Soup with Beans and Spinach

Sep 29

3 min read

A bowl of minestrone soup with pasta, kidney beans, cannellini beans and basil in a tomato broth, topped with grated Parmesan, with a spoon and a slice of toasted bread on the side

Onion, carrot and celery softened slowly in olive oil, then simmered with tinned tomatoes, cannellini beans, courgette and a handful of small pasta. The spinach goes in for the last two minutes, and the Parmesan goes on at the table.

Almost everything on the list keeps for weeks in the press or the bottom of the fridge, which makes this the soup to cook on a Sunday and eat through the week. The beans add fibre and protein, so a bowl holds you until the next meal instead of leaving you hunting for bread an hour later.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes (Mutti chopped or Polpa)

1 x 400 g tin cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 courgette, diced

1 litre vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

A small handful of small pasta shapes (about 75 g)

2 large handfuls of baby spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little finely chopped fresh chilli (optional)

To serve

Chopped fresh parsley or basil

Grated Parmesan

Method

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a little black pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until beginning to soften.
Stir in the garlic for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, beans, courgette, stock, bay leaves, oregano and thyme. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the pasta and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the spinach for the final 2 minutes, just until wilted. Add a splash of water or stock if the soup becomes too thick.
Remove the bay leaves. Taste before adding salt, particularly if the stock is salted. Serve with parsley or basil, Parmesan and a little fresh chilli if you like some heat.

Notes

Batch and freeze: Leave the pasta out of any soup you plan to freeze. Cool it quickly, portion it into containers and freeze for up to 3 months. When you reheat a portion, cook a small handful of pasta separately and add it to the bowl.
In the fridge: The soup keeps for up to 3 days in a covered container. The pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, so add a splash of water or stock when reheating.
Pasta swaps: Wholewheat or gluten-free pasta both work. Check the cooking time on the packet.
Vegetarian note: Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet. If that matters to you, use a vegetarian hard cheese instead.

FAQ

Can you freeze minestrone soup?

Yes, as long as you freeze it without the pasta. Pasta keeps absorbing liquid in the freezer and turns soft when reheated. Freeze the soup base for up to 3 months and cook a small handful of pasta fresh when you reheat each portion.

Is minestrone soup good for you?

This version is built almost entirely from vegetables, beans, tinned tomatoes and olive oil, the same foods at the centre of Mediterranean-style eating. The beans bring fibre and plant protein, which makes a bowl filling enough for lunch or a light dinner.