A hearty flavoursome filling tomato based soup full of vegetables, beans and pasta.
- splash of oil of choice
- 1 medium onion finely chopped/diced
- 4-5 stalks celery finely chopped/diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped/diced
- 3-4 medium carrots finely chopped/diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (or regular tinned tomatoes chopped)
- 2 litres water or stock (that's 5 empty tomato tins full) (boiling water preferred)
- 4-5 small bay leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 x 400g tin white beans (canellini)
- 100 g small pasta shapes (or chopped spaghetti)
- small handful spring greens/green cabbage
- black pepper
- salt
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Heat the oil in a very large lidded saucepan. Add the onion and allow to cook through until translucent. Add the celery and cook for a further minute, then add the garlic and stir through, followed by the carrot. Cook for a couple of minutes.
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Add the tomato puree and the tinned tomatoes, followed by the water/stock (if using the empty tin to measure boiling water remember that it will be hot!) Stir it all together.
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Put the bay leaves in the pan, then stir in the oregano. Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
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Tip the beans into the soup, then the pasta, cover again and allow to simmer for 10 minutes more.
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Now it's time to have a taste, and add your black pepper and salt as you wish. You can now turn the soup off at this stage and save it for later, or, if you are eating it immediately, sprinkle the spring greens over the top and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
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Serve the soup piping hot with some delicious bread on the side!
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Enjoy!
