A Homemade Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ever had a can of minestrone soup from shops? You may as well drink a glass of water. This minestrone soup recipe (The Simple Veganista) is more like the genuine article. Packed with veggies, it’s also rich, thick and filling.
Check medication before eating spinach (due to vitamin K). Read more on food safety for people and pets (leeks, onion and garlic are unsafe near animal friends).
Just bin allium scraps (leeks, onion, garlic, chives, shallots), as acids could harm compost creatures (same for citrus/tomato/rhubarb).
Stars of the show in this soup are obviously the veggies: carrots, celery, onion, green beans, spinach, courgettes, garlic and tomatoes. Along with some good veggie stock and a few herbs. It’s just a case of cooking everything in a pot (add the spinach last, as it cooks quicker).
The good thing about this soup is that you can use up whatever’s left in the fridge (leftover potatoes, corn, peas, parsnips, cabbage or kale). Julie also suggests treating yourself and adding some vegan sausage, for a real Italian feast!
If you make a lot of homemade soup, it’s worth investing in a good stick blender, to save the faff of washing blenders all the time. It’s UK law that whoever sells it to you, has to take your old appliance back for recycling.
You could also use Souper Cubes. Sold in Lakeland, these are like giant silicone ice-cube trays. Just pour in cooled leftovers and freeze. Then when you want soup, just pop a portion out and thaw overnight in the fridge, before cooking up to a safe temperature. That way, you can make bigger batches, even if you are only cooking for one or two, with no food waste.
What Brand of Pasta to Use?
The Yorkshire Pasta Company and Northern Pasta Co are both home-grown brands that use British wheat, and sell in paper (not plastic packaging). We think either of these are a great idea to support local farmers, and avoid plastic waste.
How to Cook Pasta (like the Italians)
Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil, and salt the water before adding pasta. Unless you have a medical condition. Not salting water in Italy when cooking, makes it ‘silly pasta!’ You will notice the difference in taste.
