Tomato & White Bean Soup with Pesto

• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400gtin white beans, cannellini, drained
• 1large onion, diced
• 3cloves garlic, crushed
• 600 mlvegetable stock
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 4 tspbasil pesto
• 40 gparmesan, grated
• 1red pepper, diced
• 2carrots, finely diced
• Fine salt

Method

1. 1Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and grated carrot with a generous pinch of salt; the salt pulls the moisture out and helps them soften rather than colour. Cook for 6–7 minutes until the onion is translucent and sweet-smelling.
2. 2Stir in the crushed garlic and dried oregano and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. 3Tip in the chopped red pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, to take the raw edge off. You want the pepper softening at the edges, not browning.
4. 4Pour in the chopped tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes, until the pepper is completely tender and the soup smells sweet rather than sharp.
5. 5Add the drained cannellini beans and simmer for another 5 minutes to warm them through and let them pick up the flavour of the broth.
6. 6Take the pot off the heat and blitz with a stick blender most of the way smooth, leaving a few whole beans and some pepper texture for body; a totally smooth soup loses its character.
7. 7Taste. Taste the soup and add salt if needed.
8. 8Ladle into warm bowls.

Per serving

kcal

297

protein

16.4g

fibre

10.9g

carbs

34.6g

fat

9.5g