Spring Minestrone Verde with Focaccia Bread and Basil Pesto

Spring Minestrone Verde with Focaccia Bread and Basil Pesto

Ready in 25 minutes • Serves 2-3
This dish most recently appeared in My Veggie (4 Nights For 2) on Sunday, September 17, 2017.
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The pale green leaves at the centre of your celery are beautiful, tender and full of flavour. Use them in salads or as a garnish for this soup!

Ingredients

Spring Minestrone Verde

  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 leek, white and pale green part only, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
  • 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced (reserve a few leaves for garnish, optional)
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 courgette
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 250g frozen peas
  • 1 bunch silverbeet leaves, chopped until you have 2 cups worth
  • Zest and juice of ½ lemon

To Serve

  • 1 focaccia loaf
  • 1 pottle veggie basil pesto
  • Reserved celery leaves (optional)
  • Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot (with a lid) on medium heat. Cook garlic, leek, celery and salt for 3-4 minutes, covered, until veggies start to soften. While veggies cook, cut courgette in half lengthways and thinly slice.
  2. When veggies are soft, add vegetable stock and water to pot, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender.
  3. Place focaccia loaf on prepared tray and evenly drizzle or brush with olive oil. Bake for about 5 minutes, until lightly toasted and warm.
  4. Add courgette, cannellini beans and peas to soup. Ccook for about 2 minutes, until heated through.
  5. Remove soup from heat, stir through silverbeet, lemon zest and juice and season with pepper. Cut focaccia loaf into triangles.
  6. To serve, divide spring minestrone verde between bowls and serve with a dollop of basil parsley pesto in the middle. Sprinkle over celery leaves (if using) and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and chilli flakes if using. Serve toasted focaccia on the side.

Nutritional Information

Energy 2293 kj
548 kcal
Protein 23.2g
Carbohydrate 70.8g
Fat 15.2g