I love minestrone soup, but often find that it can be quite heavy and overpowering for during the summer months, so I decided to create a summer style version that you can easily chuck in any seasonal veg that you want to.

This version is much lighter and fresher and goes perfectly with savoury spinach and onion scones (recipe to follow soon once I have perfected it – they were a little bitter to taste, but that was calmed by a generous spreading of rhubarb and chilli jam)

Ingredients:

 

2tbsp olive oil

2 celery sticks, chopped

4 ripe vine tomatoes, thickly chopped

2 medium onions, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 courgettes, chopped

1.5l vegetable stock (I use Kallo Organic)

50g dried spaghetti

2tbsp tomato puree

200g peas, fresh or frozen

200g french beans, fresh or frozen

200g broad beans, fresh or frozen

handful of fresh basil leaves

40g vegetarian hard cheese/vegan “parmesan” for serving

 

Method:

 

Pour the oil into a large saucepan or stock pot and heat

Add the diced onion and celery and cook gently for around 5-10 minutes until softened, stirring regularly so they don’t stick to the bottom and cook evenly

Add the garlic and courgettes to the pan and stir through, cook for a further 2 minutes

Pour the stock into the pan along with the tomato puree

Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer, cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally

Add the green beans, peas and broad beans to the pan and stir through

Break the spaghetti into inch pieces and add to the soup mixture along with ahandful of torn fresh basil leaves, stir into the mix

Simmer the mixture for a further 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked through and the beans are softened

Serve with a scattering of cheese and your choice of bread (or scones!)

Enjoy!