Original recipe of the week: chunky pesto vegetable soup

As the nights start to draw in, there’s nothing better than a night in front of the fire with a big bowl of something comforting. But comforting doesn’t need to mean stodgy and calorific – this soup is packed full of veggies to keep you looking and feeling your best through the winter months to come.

Chunky pesto vegetable soup

Serves: 6 -8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

What you will need:

2 courgettes, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 red onion, quartered
150g cherry tomatoes
100g broccoli florets
150g green beans, trimmed and chopped
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tsp Marmite
200g dried pasta shapes
2 tbsp basil pesto (plus an extra tsp to serve)
30g cheese, grated (parmesan or cheddar work well)
Pinch of salt and black pepper

What you need to do:

1. In a large saucepan, sweat the onions for 5 minutes with a little olive oil.
2. Add the rest of the vegetables and fry for a further 5 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, Marmite and stock to the pan. Don’t worry if it’s a little thin at this point, it will thicken as it simmers.
4. Add the pasta and simmer on a medium heat for 30 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir through 2 tbsp pesto. Season to taste.
5. Serve with a dollop of pesto, grated cheese and plenty of bread and butter!

Laura McLeish