Hearty Minestrone with Pasta Shells

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 piece brown onion, diced
• 2 piece carrot, diced
• 2 piece celery stalk, diced
• 2 piece zucchini, diced
• 3 clove garlic, crushed
• 800 gram tinned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tin tinned cannellini beans, drained
• 1.5 litre vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoon dried italian herbs
• 1 cup small pasta shells
• 150 gram green beans, trimmed and halved

Instructions

1. 1Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and celery for 8 minutes until softened.
2. 2Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for 2 minutes.
3. 3Add the tomatoes, cannellini beans, stock and dried herbs, then bring to the boil.
4. 4Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. 5Add the pasta shells and green beans and simmer for 10 minutes until the pasta is just tender.
6. 6Season with salt and pepper and serve with grated parmesan if you like.
7. 7For the freezer, portion the soup before adding pasta and freeze for up to 3 months; cook pasta fresh when reheating so it stays firm.