Minestrone Soup

If you are familiar with Italian cuisine, you would have, no doubt, heard of and tasted Minestrone Soup.  It is healthy, low fat, wholesome and yummy.  What I like most about this soup (and nearly all Italian cooking!) is that you can vary the ingredients and their quantities according to what you like or have in you kitchen at that particular time.

I've tried making this soup both as per the conventional version, which takes a long time and the quicker way which of course, I thoroughly approve of :)  The taste does not suffer a bit and you don't have to slog at all.

Here is the recipe for Easy Minestrone Soup.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 carrot grated
1 turnip grated
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 white onion grated
1/2 cup fresh/frozen shelled peas
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup any small pasta you like - macaroni/shell/arzo whatever - I have even used whole wheat spaghetti!
500 gm fairly large red tomatoes chopped roughly
1000 ml water/veg stock
a handful of whatever fresh/dried herbs you fancy - basil, oregano, parsley, thyme....
note : if you are using dried herbs, limit the total quantity to maximum of 2 tbsp or as per your taste
salt and freshly grated black pepper as per taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Method:
1.  Heat olive oil in a large pan and saute the grated onion for about a minute, stirring frequently.
2.  Add all the other ingredients except cheese & pasta.
3.  Fill the pan with water/veg stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer covered for 20 minutes. 
4.  Add pasta, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
5.  Adjust seasoning, and ladle in soup bowls.
6.  Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve it with lots of crusty garlic bread on the side for a complete meal.