Bean & Veggie Goulash Style Soup

Perfect rich winter soup for chilly nights. Serve with some crusty bread like baguette or sourdough, ideal for dipping. Easy one-pot style meal as the protein is included (kidney beans). Superb for cooking ahead!

Prep time: 10 minutes / Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsps. oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced small

• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced small

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1tsp caraway seeds (optional)

• 1 tsp paprika

• 400g chopped tomatoes

• 1.2 l vegetable stock

• 1 large potato or 2 small ones, washed & diced small

• 400g tinned kidney beans, drained

• 2 tbsp fresh herbs like parsley or chives, finely chopped

• Sat & pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. In a saucepan, add the oil and turn the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and cook for a couple of minutes.

2. Add the diced carrot & parsnip and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the chopped garlic & caraway seeds (if using), cook for another 2 minutes.

4. Add the paprika, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, potatoes & seasoning and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes (until the vegetables & potatoes are cooked).

5. Finally add the drained kidney beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.

6. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs & serve.

TIPS:

✔ If you want to reduce the cooking time, cut the vegetables and potatoes smaller. Although more time consuming you will reduce energy usage when cooking as it will take a shorter time.

✔ Especially in winter, it is lovely when soups have a little spicy kick. If you like that, add some chilli powder or fresh chopped chilli to this recipe.

✔ Choose a different type of bean like cannellini or butter beans, even chickpeas would work well in this recipe.

✔ Great recipe for batch cooking, it will be nicer after a couple of days in the fridge, and it will reheat beautifully in the microwave.

✔ Add different vegetables, swede and/or mushrooms would be a lovely addition.

✔ If you like your soups a bit thicker, increase the cooking time, if you like them with more liquid, increase the amount of stock.

✔ You can use fennel seeds instead of caraway, the flavour is not quite the same but still works well in this soup.

✔ Feel free to add some left over cooked meats like chicken, sausages or pork.