My hearty minestrone soup recipe is simple to prepare and tasty too! If you enjoy soups and stews then this minestrone soup recipe, with its great flavour and texture, is perfect for those wintry days ahead, it is more like a meal in a bowl than a soup! I like the minestrone as it is, quite thick, but if you prefer a more 'soupy consistency' just add more stock.

You need a large pan for this as the recipe should make enough minestrone soup for about 6 to 8 servings, but any extra does freeze well, I frequently freeze extra portions of the minestrone to take to work for lunch, or you can easily adjust the quantities of the ingredients to suit.

• 3 large carrots

• 1 large onion

• 4 celery sticks

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 large potatoes, cut into small dice

• 2 ½ tbsp tomato purée

• 2 litres vegetable stock

• 400g can chopped tomatoes

• 400g can butter or cannellini beans

• 120g pasta shapes

• 1⁄2 head savoy cabbage, shredded

• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Dice the carrots, onion and celery and potato into small pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped vegetables and garlic, then cook over a medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the tomato purée, vegetable stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the beans and pasta and cook for about 12 minutes, adding the cabbage for the last 3 minutes.
5. Season to taste and serve with crusty bread.

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