Green minestrone
4
Points®
Total time: 25 min • Prep: 5 min • Cook: 20 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
Orzo pasta, loads of vegetables and herbs, and a dollop of pesto come together in this simple soup that’s bursting with spring flavours.
Ingredients
Broad beans, boiled
150 g
Calorie controlled cooking spray
4 spray(s)
Shallots
1 medium, finely chopped
Celery, Raw
1 stick(s), finely chopped
Garlic
2 clove(s), crushed
Vegetable stock cube
2 cube(s), to make 1 litre stock
Orzo, cooked
150 g, cooked as per pack
Peas, fresh or frozen
150 g, frozen
Reduced fat green pesto
40 g
Basil, fresh
1 tablespoon(s), finely chopped, plus extra leaves, to serve
Lemon
1 zest(s) of 1, grated
Vegetarian parmesan style hard cheese
20 g, grated, to serve
Instructions
1
Cook the beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, until just tender. Drain, then refresh in cold water and drain again. Remove and discard the skins from the beans, then set aside. Mist a large nonstick pan with cooking spray and set over a medium heat. Add the shallot and celery and cook for 6-8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
2
Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer, then add the orzo pasta and cook for 7 minutes. Stir in the peas, broad beans and pesto, then cook for a further 4 minutes. Season to taste, then stir in the chopped basil and lemon zest and serve with extra fresh basil leaves and grated cheese scattered over.
People Also Like
Join the #1 doctor-recommended weight-loss programme*
*Based on a 2023 survey by Cerner Enviza of 500 doctors who recommend weight-loss programmes to patients.