Red pesto minestrone soup

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• onion↗1

  finely chopped

• carrot↗1

  finely chopped

• celery stick↗1

  finely chopped

• Savoy cabbage↗½

  leaves shredded and the core finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗3

  finely chopped

• chilli flakes↗½ tsp tsp

  (optional)

• dried mixed herbs↗1 tsp tsp
• tomato purée↗1 tbsp tbsp
• garlic cloves↗3

  finely chopped

• low-salt vegetable stock↗1.5 litres litres
• red pesto↗4 tbsp tbsp

  (check it’s vegetarian if needed)

• dried lasagne sheets↗100g g

  roughly snapped

• parmesan↗20g g

  or vegetarian alternative, grated, to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Scatter in the onion, carrot, celery and finely chopped cabbage core. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and cook for 15 mins until beginning to soften.

2. 2

   Sprinkle in the garlic, chilli flakes and dried mixed herbs and cook for another 2 mins, then squeeze in the tomato purée. Cook for 3-4 mins, stirring, until it darkens in colour. Pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 mins.

3. 3

   Stir in 3 tbsp of the red pesto, the shredded cabbage and pasta sheets. Stir well so the pasta doesn’t clump together. Cook for 6-8 mins, stirring often, until the pasta and cabbage are cooked but still retain some bite. Ladle into bowls, topping each one with little more pesto, then sprinkle over the parmesan to finish.