Healthy Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• splash olive oil

• 200g/7oz streaky bacon or lean back-bacon, rind removed, finely chopped

• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 6 celery stalks, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 2 onions, roughly chopped

• 2 potatoes, such as Maris Peer potatoes, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 bouquet garni

• 0.75 litres/1½ pints reduced-salt vegetable stock

• 3 courgettes, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 1 large handful soup pasta

To serve

• 1 handful fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves finely chopped

• 100g/3½oz Parmesan, finely grated

Preparation method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked and starting to brown.

2. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and onions and fry for 4-5 minutes. Add the potatoes and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

3. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, bouquet garni and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer gently for 30 minutes.

4. Add the courgettes and soup pasta and return to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan with the lid, then simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Discard the bouquet garni.

5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, then sprinkle over the parsley and Parmesan.

Source: BBC Food