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Mary Berry Minestrone Soup Recipe

Mary Berry Minestrone Soup Recipe

Mary Berry's minestrone soup is a hearty Italian vegetable soup packed with seasonal vegetables, beans, and pasta — a complete meal in a bowl.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 Portions
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Soup:
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 3 celery sticks finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves finely sliced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 Parmesan rind optional
  • 400 g tin cannellini beans drained
  • 400 g tin borlotti beans drained
  • 200 g courgette 1cm dice
  • 150 g green beans in 3cm lengths
  • 100 g small pasta ditalini, orzo, or small macaroni
  • 100 g cavolo nero or savoy cabbage finely shredded
  • Salt and pepper
  • Large handful fresh basil torn
  • Parmesan generously grated, to serve
  • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in a large pan. Cook onion, celery, and carrot over medium heat 12–15 minutes until golden and soft. Add garlic and dried herbs — 2 minutes. Add tomato purée — 1 minute.
  2. Add chopped tomatoes — cook 5 minutes until slightly reduced. Add stock and Parmesan rind if using. Bring to boil — simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Add cannellini beans, borlotti beans, courgette, and green beans. Simmer 8–10 minutes.
  4. Add pasta and cavolo nero or cabbage. Cook 8–10 minutes until pasta is just tender. Remove Parmesan rind.
  5. Season very generously. Tear in fresh basil. Ladle into large warm bowls. Scatter generous Parmesan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

Cook the soffritto 12–15 minutes — it is the flavour foundation of the entire soup.
Use a Parmesan rind if you have one — it transforms the depth of the broth.
Cook pasta separately if making ahead — it absorbs broth and expands over time.
Be generous with the Parmesan garnish — it is not optional decoration.
Two types of bean give more flavour complexity than one.
Freeze without pasta for up to 3 months.
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