Minestrone con Lenticchie e Fagioli (Vegetable Soup with Lentils & Beans)

Sydney's cold spell called for an old favourite - Minestrone con Lenticchie. Minestrone is a traditional Italian vegetable soup that usually includes rice or pasta. You can mix this recipe up as much or as little as you like. Add more, less or different vegetables. Add rice instead of pasta. Add beans instead of lentils. The combinations are endless, but you are guaranteed a delicious and hearty soup that is the perfect comfort food on a cold winter's night. My boy's weren't overly keen on this dish, however in their own words, they "struggle with vegetables" lol! My husband and I loved it and there was plenty for lunch leftovers which is always a bonus! Next time, I think I'll add extra lentils and make it even thicker :)

Minestrone con Lenticchie

Serves 6-8

1 clove garlic, crushed
2 potatoes, chopped into small cubes
2-3 baby carrots, sliced thinly
1 stalk of celery, sliced
3-4 silver beet spinach leaves, sliced/shredded
Light olive oil
1 cup dry green lentils, pre-soaked for approx. 2 hours
3/4 x 400g tin Borlotti Beans
2 tablespoons tomato paste/homemade tomato sauce
1 vegetable stock cube/vegetable paste
Approx 3.5 litres of water
250g short pasta
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Place garlic and chopped vegetables in a large saucepan. Add a dash of olive oil and stir over medium heat for a few minutes so that vegetables become coated in oil and the smell of garlic starts to permeate.

2. Add drained lentils to the saucepan, along with tomato paste and crushed stock cube. I use vegetable stock paste made in the Thermomix. My current batch is quite salty so I put less than I normally would.

3. Fill saucepan with water (approximately 3.5 litres) and bring to the boil.

4. Once the soup is boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer gently for at least 1 hour. The longer it is left, the better it tastes.


5. Add pasta along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until pasta is to your liking.

6. Garnish with a  drizzle of oil and some shaved Parmesan. It's delicious served with some crusty bread!