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An essential to every cook’s repertoire, this minestrone is a classic — hearty, healthy, and highly adaptable!

You will need

Serves 4

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 sprig (9 cm) rosemary
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato passata
  • 8 cups (2 litres) vegetable stock
  • 425 g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup small macaroni pasta
  • Salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, to serve

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Directions

15 mins to prep

30 mins to cook

  1. Step 1

    Place a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the oil, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté for a further 8-9 minutes until softened.

  2. Step 2

    Add the tomato passata, stock, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the pasta, and cook for a further 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is al dente.

  4. Step 4

    Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through the chopped parsley.

  5. Step 5

    Ladle into bowls, add a pinch of red chilli flakes and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Hot tip!

Not listed, but highly recommended by one Italian reader of ours, is a very important ingredient — love! Most Italians will tell you, if there’s one consistent ingredient used in every variation of ‘nonna’s soup’ the world over, it is a healthy dose of love 🙂