Some recipes earn a permanent place in your weekly rotation because they’re impressive. Others earn it because they quietly make life easier.
My Green Minestrone falls firmly into the second category.
Made with pantry staples, frozen vegetables and a handful of fresh ingredients, it’s the kind of meal that delivers plenty of nutrition without requiring hours in the kitchen. More importantly, it’s a recipe that continues to give back long after you’ve cooked it – making enough for lunches, quick dinners or those evenings when cooking feels like one job too many.
From a nutrition perspective, this bowl is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Cannellini beans and chickpeas provide plant protein and fibre to help support fullness while nourishing the gut microbiome. Leek and garlic contribute prebiotic fibres, while peas, green beans and zucchini increase the diversity of plant foods in the meal – something that’s increasingly recognised as an important part of supporting a healthy gut.
The gluten-free pasta transforms this from a light soup into a balanced meal by providing quality carbohydrates for sustained energy, while finishing with pesto and parmesan adds richness, healthy fats and plenty of flavour.
One of the biggest misconceptions about healthy eating is that every meal needs to be perfectly balanced or made from expensive ingredients. In reality, some of the most nourishing meals are the simplest- built around vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and a few flavourful finishing touches.
Like every recipe in my Lazy Healthy series, this Green Minestrone is designed to make healthy eating feel achievable. It’s comforting, freezer-friendly, budget-conscious and proof that looking after yourself can start with something as simple as one really good bowl of soup.
GREEN MINESTRONE
Serves 4
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 zucchini, quartered lengthways and chopped into pieces
2L good quality chicken stock (Used San Elk Organic Chicken Stock) or broth
1x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1x 400g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
125g short pasta, such as elbow (Used Olive Green Organics Gluten Free Elbows)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
150g frozen beans
2 tbsp pesto (Used Roza Gourmet – always buy pesto from fridge, shelf stable ones aren’t usually flavoursome)
4 tbsp finely grated parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
Heat a large stock pot on medium, add olive oil, leeks, garlic, and celery, cover and sweat for 6-8min, stirring throughout. Add zucchini and stock and bring to a simmer then add the chickpeas and cannellini beans. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the nub of parmesan. Once boiling add the in the pasta and cook until almost al dente (it will keep cooking), then add the frozen vegetables. Simmer a further 4-5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls, top with some grated parmesan and finish with a dollop of pesto and black pepper.
MACROS: CALS 550 P29 C71 F20 FIBRE20 (w/pesto)
