Cookbook author and food stylist Lucy Tweed presents a trio of simmering winners just in time for soup season. These Mediterranean-inspired recipes offer comfort and nourishment in every bowl.
Minestrone with Homemade Pesto
This minestrone features vegetables, beans, and pasta cut to roughly the same size, ensuring every spoonful is hearty and satisfying. The soup is elevated with a swirl of garlicky homemade pesto, offering true restoration in a pot. Store in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Cook time: 45 minutes | Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 zucchini, finely diced
- 1 red capsicum, finely diced
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into 5mm dice
- 1–1.5 litres vegetable or chicken-style stock
- 400g tin diced tomatoes, gently crushed
- 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 400g tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
- 200g small pasta
- 155g frozen peas
- 250g green beans, cut into 1cm pieces
- Toasted sourdough rubbed with garlic, to serve
For the Pesto
- 1 bunch basil leaves
- 40g toasted pine nuts
- 50g grated parmesan
- 80ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- A squeeze of lemon juice
Method
To make the pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor with salt and pepper, and blitz until fairly smooth but still textured. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot, cooking for about five minutes until softened. Add garlic, zucchini, capsicum, and potato, cooking for another five minutes. Pour in stock and diced tomatoes, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add cannellini beans, borlotti beans, pasta, frozen peas, and green beans. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and soup is thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir through a generous amount of pesto and season with salt. Let stand for five minutes off the heat. If too thick, add extra stock or water. Serve with garlic-rubbed toast.
Fasolatha (Greek White Bean Soup)
Traditional fasolatha is simple and should not be overcomplicated with extra spices or herbs. For a creamier soup, mash some beans against the pot during cooking. Serve with olives, pickled vegetables, and sourdough for the full Greek experience.
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
- 300g dried white beans (soaked overnight) or 800g tin beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 400g tin diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1.25 litres vegetable stock or water
- Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Method
If using dried beans, soak overnight, then drain, rinse, and boil in fresh water for a few minutes. Drain and rinse again. In a large pot, heat olive oil and cook onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until softened. Add beans, tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika, parsley, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about one hour until beans are tender and soup is rich. Adjust seasoning, serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil.
Chicken Avgolemono
This Greek version of chicken soup features swollen rice and fresh herbs, with egg giving it a slightly milky texture. Keep it basic when feeling under the weather. Use a pot large enough for a whole chicken.
Cook time: 2.5 hours | Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.6 kg)
- 1 brown onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, peeled
- 2 celery stalks, cut to fit pot
- 1 tbsp chicken stock powder
- 165g short-grain white rice
- 3 eggs
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Finely chopped dill and flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides for eight minutes each. Add onion, carrots, and celery, cover with about 2.5 litres cold water. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer. Season broth with salt, poach chicken for one hour until cooked through. Remove chicken, cool, and shred meat. Optionally, return bones and skin to pot. Add stock powder, simmer another hour. Strain broth, return to clean pot, add rice, cook gently until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk eggs and lemon juice until frothy. Slowly ladle in 250–500ml hot broth, whisking constantly. Stir warmed egg mixture back into soup off heat to avoid scrambling. Add shredded chicken, warm gently over medium heat without boiling. Scatter with dill and parsley. Serve.
This is an edited extract from Tender by Lucy Tweed, available now through Murdoch Books (AU$39.99).
