Union Pay

30 mins

30 ml	olive oil
1	medium onion, finely diced
2	garlic cloves, minced
2	carrots, peeled and diced
2	celery stalks, diced
1	small zucchini, diced
400g	canned chopped tomatoes
1 L	low-sodium vegetable stock
50g	small pasta (eg. macaroni, ditalini, orzo)
100g	canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp	fresh thyme leaves, chopped
	salt and pepper to taste

Method

Step 1
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
Step 2
Add the carrots, celery, and zucchini to the pot, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3
Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and fresh thyme to the pot. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Step 4
Meanwhile, cook the small pasta shapes in a separate pot according to the package directions. Drain and set aside once cooked.
Step 5
Add the cannellini beans and cooked pasta to the soup when the vegetables are tender. Allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, to allow the flavours to meld.
Step 6
Garnish the soup with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.