Page title and description
Vegetarian mains
Purple sprouting broccoli, bean and pasta soup
This is a lighter version of the traditional Italian pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans), but it's still filling enough to be a meal in itself. It's nutritious, cheap and quick to make – ideal weeknight dinner fare. Calabrese (normal) broccoli can be substituted for purple sprouting.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tsp fresh herbs; oregano, thyme, parsley, chopped
- 400g purple sprouting broccoli, chopped finely
- 550g cooked white beans with cooking liquor (2x150g cans of cannellini beans undrained)
- 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
- 100g pasta, broken spaghetti or tiny shells
- Parmesan, grated (optional)
- salt and pepper
Method
Prep time:
5 min
PT5M
Cooking time:
30 min
PT30M
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Step 1
Cook the onion in the olive oil until soft, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the herbs and broccoli. Cook over a moderate heat until the broccoli is soft.
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Step 2
Add the beans, liquor and stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook it in the soup until al dente.
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Step 3
Season well and serve with the grated Parmesan.