02/06/2026
Slow cooking today, saving time tomorrow 🌿
This hearty homemade minestrone is everything I love about simple, nourishing food — real ingredients, no waste, and full of flavour.
The best part? Portioning it into my freezer trays so future me has wholesome meals ready to go 🙌
Because sustainable living isn’t about doing more… it’s about doing things smarter.
Batch cook once. Eat well all week.
Recipe below 👇
Ingredients
* Olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 brown onion, diced
* 2 celery ribs, sliced
* 1 large carrot, diced
* 1 red capsicum, chopped
* 5 cups vegetable stock
* 1 tin crushed tomatoes
* 2 tbsp tomato paste
* 1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 large potato, diced
* 1 zucchini, chopped
* 1 tsp dried basil
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* ⅓ cup dried barley soup mix
* 1½ cups pasta
* ½ cup fresh basil leaves
* Juice of ½ lemon
To serve: Parmesan cheese and fresh sourdough
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Method
1. Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, onion, celery, carrot and capsicum. Sauté until softened and fragrant.
2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock, beans, potato, zucchini, dried herbs and barley. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.
3. Add the pasta and continue simmering for a further 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
4. Finish with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste.
Serve hot with grated Parmesan and crusty sourdough.
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Storage Tip
Let the soup cool completely, then portion into freezer trays for quick, nourishing meals whenever
Enjoy!
FreezerMeals MicroGarden
