Winter minestrone with pesto croûtes

Recipe uploaded by

Mary Cadogan

16 ratings

Recipe by Mary Cadogan

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1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and lardons or bacon and fry for about 5 mins until the onion is starting to brown. Tip in the carrots, celery, potato and garlic, stir well and cook for a few minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock and sage, and bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat to simmer and cook partly covered for 30 mins, stirring in the cabbage after 15 mins. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pan with the parsley. Season and serve with pesto croûtes, see right, or crusty bread.
3. For the pesto croûtes: Cut 3-4 slices of crusty bread into chunks, about 2cm thick. Tip into an ovenproof pan. Mix the olive oil and pesto, then add to the bread, tossing it with your hands until the croûtes are evenly coated. Bake in a moderate oven for about 10 mins until crisp.

Make it vegetarian

Leave out the bacon and use 100g/4oz sliced chestnut mushrooms instead.

Per serving

274 kcalories, protein 13g, carbohydrate 28g, fat 13 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 8g, salt 2.56 g

Latest comments and suggestions

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• lauren2895

  23 May 2009

  lauren2895 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is a great recipe, I make it very week now. I replace the bacon with a big dollop of marmite, its really good and healthy which is a bonus!

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• brendabel

  01 October 2009

  brendabel commented on this recipe

  looks fanstic on the picture, but I defy anyone to get the deep rich colour from 1 tin of tomatos. I was dissapointed with the look of the soup, but it tasted ok

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• Katalat

  14 October 2009

  Katalat commented on this recipe

  I also found the colour lacking and whilst it was very nice I wouldn't say it is the best I have tasted. It also seems like there are alot more than four portions. Perhaps if I had blended the tomatoes and used less water in the stock? I suppose I could have also cut the vegetables smaller. Has anyone had success with this?

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• Mary Poppins

  22 October 2009

  Mary Poppins commented on this recipe

  A really tasty winter warmer. I adapted the recipe for what I had in the pantry - leek instead of celery, mini pasta bows instead of the beans, but it came out lovely all the same. Made loads too. Thanks for another lovely, healthy and cheap recipe which is going to be a family favourite!

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 100g unsmoked lardons or chopped streaky bacon
• 2 large carrots , chopped
• 2 sticks celery , chopped
• 1 medium potato , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped or crushed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1l vegetable stock (from granules or a cube)
• 2 tsp chopped sage leaves, or 1 tsp dried
• few cabbage leaves, shredded
• 400g can haricot beans
• handful chopped parsley

FOR THE PESTO CROUTES

• slices of crusty bread
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pesto

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 15 mins

Cook 40 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 100g unsmoked lardons or chopped streaky bacon
• 2 large carrots , chopped
• 2 sticks celery , chopped
• 1 medium potato , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped or crushed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1l vegetable stock (from granules or a cube)
• 2 tsp chopped sage leaves, or 1 tsp dried
• few cabbage leaves, shredded
• 400g can haricot beans
• handful chopped parsley

FOR THE PESTO CROUTES

• slices of crusty bread
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pesto

Per serving

274 kcalories, protein 13g, carbohydrate 28g, fat 13 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 8g, salt 2.56 g

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