Spring minestrone with rice and cannellini beans

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• White rice40 g
• Cooked cannellini beans120 g
• Peas60 g
• Asparagus80 g
• Zucchini100 g
• Carrots1
• Spring onions2
• Vegetable broth500 ml
• Extra virgin olive oil10 g
• Basil5 g
• Parmigiano Reggiano10 g
• Saltto taste

Contains: lactose, celery,

In season: April – June

Method

1. Warm the vegetable stock. Thinly slice the spring onions; peel the carrot and cut it into 1 cm dice; wash and trim the courgettes and dice them the same size; snap the woody base off the asparagus and cut it into 2 cm pieces. Rinse and drain the cannellini beans.
2. Heat half the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the spring onions and carrot for 4–5 minutes, until soft.
3. Add the courgettes, asparagus and the hot stock with a pinch of salt, bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the rice, peas and beans and cook for 15 more minutes, stirring now and then, until the rice is done; if the soup gets too thick, add a ladle of hot water. Adjust the salt.
5. Turn off the heat, add torn basil and leave to stand for a couple of minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan and the remaining oil drizzled over raw.