Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

1 red onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced or crushed
2 medium carrots, chopped into half moon slices
2 full celery sticks, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered and diced
2 medium potatoes, diced into approx 2cm cubes
1 leek, quartered and diced
5 slices short cut bacon, diced into approx 2cm pieces (omit if making vegetarian or vegan)
2 cups kale, stems removed and finely chopped (or savoy cabbage)
1 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 400g tin diced tomatoes
1 litre vegetable broth, from carton or powder (I recommend Nutra Organics Vegetable Broth Powder, available from good health food shops)
1/4 cup risoni pasta (omit if making vegan) or 1/2 cup macaroni, or 1 cup of larger pasta such as spirals or shells), optional
2 bay leaves
3 stems fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper

Method

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add in the onion and garlic and fry, stirring until glossy.
Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add carrot, celery, leek, potatoes and herbs, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans, tomatoes and stock, stir to combine, and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
Add in beans and kale and pasta, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, allow to rest for 5 minutes with the lid off before serving alongside plenty of toast with lashings of good butter.