Tom Hunt’s recipe for fridge-raid minestrone, UK-style | Waste not

A creative way to use up the bits you already have around, all while getting in a healthy mixture of vegetables and whole grains

This hearty dish is inspired by the diets of the Blue Zones, or those regions of the world where people live the longest, including Sardinia, where minestrone is a staple. Dan Buettner, who studied these communities, found that their diets are generally rich in beans, whole grains and seasonal vegetables. I’ve generalised ingredients into groups such as alliums, rather than simply suggesting the standard onion base, to inspire you to use up whatever you have in the house and what’s in season; I’d of course also encourage further diversification with the addition of other vegetables and subtle spices.

Fridge-raid “minestrone”

This is a hodge-podge minestrone-of-sorts, inspired by the Sardinian classic and adapted for the British larder. I’ve used a grain and pulse soup, or broth mix, because it’s widely available in British supermarkets, and includes a nourishing blend of split peas, lentils, barley and spelt; however, any lentils, soaked dried beans or grains will also work well, as do canned beans, though add those (and their tin liquid, or aquafaba) only towards the end of the cooking process. Instead of the fennel in Beuttner’s recipe, I’ve used leafy greens, mainly to make the most of the greens in my fridge, which in this instance featured beetroot leaves, chard and cauliflower leaves. I like to batch-cook this soup and keep the excess in the fridge for another meal.

Serves 4

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
150g diced alliums – onions, leeks, spring onions
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 100g net)
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (optional)
1 tsp fennel seeds, or coriander seeds
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
200g dried grain and pulse soup mix (pearl barley, yellow split peas, green split peas, spelt, and red lentils) or pearl barley or another grain
400g root vegetables – celeriac, turnip, potatoes
150g chopped greens – spinach, or beetroot or cauliflower leaves
20g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped from stalk to leaf
20g bunch fresh basil
100g small mixed pasta shapes – broken spaghetti, ditalini, orzo
50g grated pecorino, or parmesan, to serve

Warm three tablespoons of the oil in a large soup pot on a medium heat. Add the diced alliums, carrot and celery, if using, then stir in the fennel seeds and saute for five minutes, until soft but not coloured. Stir in the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds more, until fragrant.

Add the chopped tinned tomatoes, followed by the grain and pulse soup mix (or pearl barley), root vegetables, chopped greens, chopped flat-leaf parsley, and the finely chopped stalks from the bunch of basil (save the leaves to finish). Pour in enough water to submerge everything by 2½cm (you’ll need about one and a half litres), then bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer uncovered for an hour, adding more water as needed. Finely stir in the mixed pasta shapes, add up to 500ml more water, if need be, then simmer for 10 minutes until tender.

Season to taste, then divide between four bowls and serve topped with the reserved basil leaves, grated pecorino and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.