Bacon and Cannellini Bean Minestrone Soup with Cheesy Croutons

Bacon and Cannellini Bean Minestrone Soup with Cheesy Croutons

Ready in 45 minutes • Serves 4-5
This dish most recently appeared in My Classic (5 Nights For 4) on Sunday, June 19, 2016.
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A delicious minestrone soup!

Ingredients

BACON AND CANNELLINI BEAN MINESTRONE SOUP

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 carrot, diced 1cm
  • 2 stalks celery, diced 1cm
  • 250g bacon, diced 1cm
  • 1 can cannellini beans
  • 1/2 cup red wine (or chicken or vegetable stock)
  • 2 cartons chopped tomatoes
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves
  • 1/2 bag baby spinach leaves

CHEESY CROUTONS

  • 220g Turkish loaf
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 70g parmesan cheese

TO SERVE

  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, leaves and stalks

Steps

  1. oven to 200°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper
  2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Cook onion, garlic, carrot, celery and bacon for 3–4 minutes, until vegetables have softened. While vegetables are cooking, drain and rinse cannellini beans then set aside.
  3. Add wine/stock, tomatoes, stock and oregano and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 25–30 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked.
  4. With 2 minutes cook time remaining, add cannellini beans to pot with vegetables and cook until warmed through.
  5. Remove pot from heat and fold through baby spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper
  6. While soup is cooking, dice Turkish loaf 3cm and toss with olive oil on prepared tray. Finely grate parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top of bread. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until croutons are golden and crispy.
  7. Ladle bacon and cannellini bean minestrone soup into bowls and top with cheesy croutons. Garnish with parsley.

Nutritional Information

Energy 2530 kj
605 kcal
Protein 25.6g
Carbohydrate 41.7g
Fat 34.2g