Summer Minestrone

Minestrone doesn't have to be a warm tomatoey mess enjoyed in cooler months. Here's a simple recipe for a fresh summer minestrone using much of the wondrous vegetable bounty that comes with the late summer months.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword easy minestrone, minestrone recipes, summer minestrone, vegan minestrone, vegetarian minestrone

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings

Calories 326

Ingredients

1 Small Fennel diced
0.5 Small Onion diced
1 Carrot diced
1 Stick Celery diced
1 Clove Garlic chopped
1 Courgette diced
500 ml Vegetable Stock
50 g Peas podded
50 g Chard shredded
150 g Borlotti Beans
50 g Orzo
3 Stalks Basil roughly chopped
3 Stalks Parley roughly chopped
0.5 Lemon zested

Instructions

Heat a good glug of olive oil to a large saucepan then add fennel, onion, carrot and celery, stirring to coat in the oil. Add a splash of water (about a tbsp), cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 10-12 minutes until the veg soften. Stir the veg occasionally to avoid them taking on too much colour).
Next, add the garlic and cook with the lid off for 2-3 minutes before adding the courgette and the stock and orzo. Cover and let this summer for 5 minutes before adding the peas, chard and beans. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat zest in half a lemon, add the chopped basil and parsley and stir. Taste and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste along with a drizzle of olive oil.
Serve warm with a side of crusty bread.

Nutrition