Vegetable soup with basil, garlic and olive oil

Autumnal vegetable soup from Rick Stein’s Secret France by Rick Stein (BBC Books, £26)

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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

Calories 458 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 78mg3%

Potassium 1820mg52%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 14g58%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 7125IU143%

Vitamin C 79mg96%

Calcium 148mg15%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Vegetable soup with basil, garlic and olive oil

Rick Stein's hearty French vegetable soup will keep you warm on a cold autumn night. Packed with fresh vegetables, beans and pasta, it's a healthy meal in a bowl.

Prep Time12

Cook Time1 30

Total Time13 30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings:

Calories: 458kcal

Author: Rick Stein

Equipment

Ingredients

100 g dried beans flageolet, cannellini or haricots, soaked overnight in cold water
4 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 onion chopped
1 leek halved lengthways and finely sliced
2 carrots chopped
1 bouquet garni bay leaf, thyme sprigs and parsley stalks
675 g courgettes cut into small dice
450 g tomatoes skinned, seeded and chopped
2 potatoes medium, cut into small dice
100 g fine beans topped, tailed and cust into 3-4 pieces
100 g peas frozen
75 g orzo or spaghetti broken into small lengths
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste

To serve

1 portion parmesan cheese grated
1 portion olive oil extra virgin
1 green pistou

Method

Drain the soaked beans. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a pan, add the garlic and cook gently for two to three minutes. Add the beans and 1.25 litres of water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30–60 minutes, or until just tender. Add half a teaspoon of salt and simmer for another five minutes, then set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pan. Add the onion, leek and carrots and cook gently for five to six minutes until softened but not browned. Add the beans, their cooking liquor and the bouquet garni to the pan of softened vegetables. Add the courgettes, tomatoes and potatoes and another 1.25 litres of water, then season with two teaspoons of salt and some pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Add the green beans, peas and pasta to the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
Remove the pan from the heat, take out the bouquet garni and stir in the pistou. Check the seasoning and serve in warmed bowls, with some extra grated Parmesan cheese and a little jug of extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top.

Nutrition