Veg Minestrone Soup

Monsoons are here, and nothing is as good as a bowl of steaming hot soup on a rainy day. I love soups and can have them any time of the day. If you have the right vegetables and few spices in hand, you can never go wrong in making delicious soups. Minestrone soup has been my favorite from the time I first tasted it at a fancy Italian restaurant. Though it needs some prior preparation, no soup is as healthy, nutritious and filling as this. Serve with few slices of garlic bread on the side and it can be as filling as a wholesome meal!

Ingredients:

Boiled vegetables – 1 bowl (Potato, Carrot , Cauliflower, Sweet corn) vary veggies as per taste
Capsicum – 1/2
Boiled kidney beans – 1/2 cup
Macaroni pasta – 2 tbsp
Tomatoes – 2
Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Oregano – 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Chilli flakes – as per taste

Method:

1. Soak kidney beans overnight. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles till they turn soft.  (Alternatively, use canned beans)
2. Chop all vegetables into small cubes. In a saucepan, boil potato, carrot, cauliflower and sweet corn in 4 -5 cups of water till they turn soft. Drain the water into a bowl which can be used as vegetable stock for making the soup.
3.  Cook the macaroni pasta till it turns soft and set aside.
4. Boil 2 whole tomatoes for 2 mins and puree them in a mixer. (Alternatively use store bought tomato puree)
5. In a pan, heat olive oil. Add basil leaves, finely chopped capsicum and fry for 1 minute. Next add the tomato puree and cook for 2 mins.
6. Now add the boiled vegetables, boiled beans and vegetable stock.
7. Next add tomato ketchup, salt, pepper and oregano and mix well. Add the cooked macaroni pasta and let the soup boil for 5 mins.
8. Sprinkle chilli flakes and serve hot!