Pesto Minestrone

This recipe works in combination with: La Piccata Milanese, Risi e Bisi, Tagliatelle al Ragu. This recipe features in these meal plans: Regional Italian.

Genovese-style minestrone with onion, carrot, courgette, macaroni and borlotti beans. Topped with fresh basil pesto.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium onion (approx 185g each), finely chopped
  • 410g of borlotti beans, drained
  • 2 medium tomatoes (approx 100g each), coarsely chopped
  • 1 small courgette (approx 165g), sliced
  • 1 medium carrot (approx 125g), sliced
  • 28g of fresh basil
  • 10g of Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 80g of macaroni
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 250ml beef stock, prepared according to the packet instructions
  • Serves: 2
  • Course: Main Course
  • Preparation time: 10 mins
  • Cooking time: 45 mins
  • Price per person: £1.91
  • Store cupboard: Cook's
  • Calories per serving: 901
  • 5-a-day per serving: 3.3
  • Print Recipe
Pesto Minestrone photo
Tasty?

44 cooks think so

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and half the garlic for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
  2. Add the carrot, tomatoes, courgette, pasta, beef stock and 250ml water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Add a little water if the minestrone becomes dry.
  3. Whilst the minestrone is cooking, prepare the pesto. Heat a small frying pan and toast the pine nuts for 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a food processor or pestle and mortar and add the basil and remaining garlic. Blend the mixture until it becomes a thick paste. Gradually add in 3 tbsp olive oil and the Parmesan and blend until it has a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Stir the borlotti beans into the minestrone and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
  5. Stir the pesto into the minestrone, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.


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