Spring minestrone with mint pesto
Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 
Photograph by Dan Jones
Spring minestrone with mint pesto
Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
378Kcal
Fat
28gr
Saturates
5gr
Carbs
21gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
6gr
Protein
12gr
Salt
0.3gr
Sarah Randell
Our former Food Director, and previously food editor to Delia Smith, Sarah has written more than 1000 recipes for the magazine. She is also author of Family Baking and Marmalade; A Bittersweet Cookbook among others.
Sarah Randell
Our former Food Director, and previously food editor to Delia Smith, Sarah has written more than 1000 recipes for the magazine. She is also author of Family Baking and Marmalade; A Bittersweet Cookbook among others.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 stick of celery, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
- 1.5 litres hot vegetable stock
- 500g small new potatoes, sliced
- 2 courgettes, diced
- 200g sugar snaps, halved
- 250g frozen petit pois
- a small handful of basil
- a small handful of mint leaves
- a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
- a sprinkle of Parmesan, grated (or vegetarian alternative)
For the mint pesto
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 50g pine nuts
- 2 x 28g packs mint, leaves only
- 1 x 28g pack basil, leaves only
- 4-5 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
- 100ml olive oil
- a few drops of lemon juice
Step by step
Get ahead
Make up to the end of step 3 a few hours ahead
- In a large pan, soften the onion, carrot and celery in the oil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the pesto by whizzing all the pesto ingredients in a blender with a pinch of salt.
- Add the garlic to the onion, carrot and celery, and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the stock, add the potatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Season.
- Add the courgettes and simmer for a further 5 minutes, then add the sugar snaps and peas and cook for 1-2 minutes until tender. Stir in the basil and mint leaves.
- Spoon the soup into warm bowls. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a spoonful of pesto and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan.
Tip
If you would like this recipe to be gluten-free, please ensure your stock is guaranteed gluten-free.
