This traditional Italian dish has been part of my life since I can remember, and I absolutely love it!

Many add pasta or rice to this soup, but I think it is best on its own. Potatoes and beans are enough to give this dish a warm and comforting feeling.

I always make huge quantities, which lats me many days. It also freezes well. This recipe takes time, but it is absolutely worth it!

 

Minestrone Soup

Serves: 10

Syn per serving: Free

 

Ingredients

Low calories cooking spray

1 piece of Smoked Gammon

3 sticks of celery

3 courgettes

3 carrots

3 leeks

3/4 of a Savoy Cabbage

1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes (400g)

2 Vegetable stock cubes

1 bunch of Swiss Chard

3 Red Potatoes

2 Sweet Potatoes

2 Cans of Cannellini Beans

 

Method

 

First of all, you have to cut all the vegetable. I like mine to be quite small. Put the chopped vegetables in separate bowls or plates, as they will be added to the pan one at a time.

 

The potatoes will be added to the soup towards the end of the cooking time. Therefore, remember to put them in a bowl of water after you cut them or they will turn black.

Remove all the fat from the gammon.

Put a big pan on the hob and spry it with low-calorie cooking spray. Add the gammon and seal it over high heat.

Add the carrots, along with a pinch of salt to help them lose the water. Stir for about 1 minute.  Continue adding the vegetable one at a time (I like to add the hardest vegetable first).With the exception of the potatoes and swiss chard.

When all the vegetables have browned a little, cover with water and add the tomatoes and stock cubes.

Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and cook covered for 2 hours.

After that time add the potatoes and swiss chard and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Add the cannellini beans and cook 10 more minutes.

Adjust the seasoning to your liking and serve hot.

 

Tips

I love to put cheese pieces on my plate before I pour the minestrone in. You can use your HEA, or just syn it 🙂