Vegetarian Italian Bean Soup with Kale & Parmesan Crisps (v/vg)
This beautiful minestrone based soup recipe, starts with a classic soffrito base. Added fresh vegetables, tomatoes and beans with additional greens, are not only flavoursome and hearty, but an ideal pick me up full of goodness and warmth for a cold miserable day. This is a bowl crammed full of vegetables and pungent herbs that meets your five a day.
Serve simply with the parmesan crisps, scatter of fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.
Happy cooking, N x
Serves 6-8 | Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
Italian Bean Soup
3 tbsps olive oil
3 celery sticks, washed, sliced into chunks
3 carrots, washed, sliced into chunks
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tbsps fresh rosemary finely chopped
3/4 tbsps fresh thyme leaves
2 heaped tbsps tomato purée
2 tbsps of Henderson’s relish / vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp caster sugar
squeeze of lemon juice
1 1/2 litres of bouillon or vegetable stock
1 medium courgette, partially peeled and chunked.
1 medium red pepper, chunked
100g or a big handful of red lentils, washed
100g or a big handful of dried pasta macaroni pieces
400g tinned cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
100g or a big handful of kale, washed and sliced
400g tinned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
3 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsps chopped fresh basil
Salt & pepper seasoning
Old parmesan rind (if using)
Parmesan Crisps
12 heaped tablespoons of parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese
Baking tray/sheet parchment paper
Note, if catering for a vegan diet, omit the parmesan or add a vegan alternative
Method
Make sure your onions, celery and carrots are chopped to a similar size so they cook evenly.
In a large pan add the oil and soften the onions, celery and carrots on a low heat with the lid on for 5/10 minutes.
Once the soffrito base has softened and the carrots are al denté, add the chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, garlic, and salt & pepper. Cook for a further few minutes.
Add the chunks of red pepper and courgette. Cook down for 2/3 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, 1 litre of stock, tomato purée, Henderson’s / vegetarian Worcester sauce, and caster sugar. Stir to combine. Let this cook down for 10 mins.
Then add a handful of macaroni or your dried pasta of choice, red lentils and a handful of fresh parsley and basil. Leave the soup to cook until the pasta and lentils have softened.
Add the parmesan rind if using and the extra 1/2 litre of liquid stock if required to thin the soup. Add the cannellini beans and a squeeze of lemon juice, the fresh shredded kale and stir to combine everything.
Cook for a further 5/8 mins until kale is cooked and still has a bite to it.
Heat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
Whilst the soup is simmering, cover a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper. Grate approximately a heaped tablespoon of parmesan or a vegetarian hard cheese, creating twelve little separate piles with a gap apart and flatten with the back of a spoon to spread. Pop in a hot oven to melt for 3/5mins, remove from the oven and leave to cool and harden.
Just before serving, season to taste and add a handful of fresh chopped basil leaves to the soup.
Serve in bowls topped with two parmesan crisps per person and a drizzle of olive oil.
Enjoy!