Adaptable bean soup
Nigel Slater's budget-friendly bean soup is healthy and filling. Chop and change the ingredients for your favourite vegetables and beans.
This meal provides 183 kcal, 6g protein, 18.5g carbohydrate (of which 10g sugars), 9.5g fat (of which 1.3g saturates), 6.5g fibre and 1.7g salt per portion.
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 3-4 ripe tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- a few large handfuls of pre-cooked cannellini beans
- vegetable stock
- a few slices of orange peel
- 1 parmesan rind, or vegetarian alternative, optional
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful chard stalks (and leaves if young)
- fresh parsley, chopped
- French stick, to serve
Method
Roughly chop the onions and carrots. Warm a little olive oil in a large pan on a low heat and add the onions and carrots. Chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan with a bay leaf. Add the cannellini beans, followed by the vegetable stock - enough to cover. I like to add a couple of bits of orange peel at this stage, followed by the parmesan rind.
Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and let the soup bubble. Chop the chard stalks and add to the liquid. (You could use any other greens you like.) Add plenty of chopped parsley, then add the chard leaves. Serve with some toasted French stick or ciabatta and a drizzle of olive oil.
Recipe Tips
This soup is perfect for whipping up ahead of time and popping in the freezer. Just leave to cool and store in a freezer-proof container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.