Minestrone Soup

Serves: 8
Time: 1 hour
Source: Adapted from 101 Healthy Eats - Good Food
Notes: Chop the veg to the size you want in the finished soup, I prefer larger chunks.  5 litre casserole needed for the doubled ingredient list below.  Vegetarian without the bacon.  Improve by looking at other recipes, pimp it up.  Freezes well.

• 4tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 300g unsmoked streaky bacon, chopped

• 4 sticks celery, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, chopped
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 800g chopped tomatoes
• 1.5 litres vegetable stock (2l for more of a soup)
• 4tsp chopped sage leaves or 2tsp dried
• 2 handfuls shredded cabbage leaves
• 800g can haricot beans

• salt and pepper to serve
• parsley to serve
• croutons or crusty bread to serve

• Prep the chopped veg and garlic
• In a large casserole heat the olive oil, fry the onion and bacon until browning
• Throw in the celery, potatoes, carrots, garlic, stir and cook for 10 minutes
• Add the tomatoes, stock and sage, stir while bringing to the boil
• Reduce to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally
• 15 minutes to go, throw in the cabbage
• 5 minutes to go, drain and rinse the beans, add to the pan with parsley
• prep croutons or bread
• Serve, adding salt, pepper, parsley, croutons as desired