Inspired by Italy: Butter bean, sun-dried tomato and pesto soup

So, here is the first course of this week's Monday Menu; Butter bean, sun-dried tomato and pesto soup.

Generally I'm loathe to serve soup as a starter as I find by the time I've eaten it, I'm too full to do justice to the remaining dishes. That said, this menu is quite a light affair and I think the soup has it's place both in it's offer of flavour, warmth and substance.

This recipe is easy and quick! You can prepare and serve in less than 10 minutes, which makes the whole '3-course dinner' a more manageable experience, even on a school night!

Butter beans are so versatile and I often use them in dips, stews and salads. In a soup, they add a certain creaminess without the expected fat content. One note on the ingredients to consider.....Using both stock and pesto can make the dish quite salty, so adjust to taste and add any seasoning at the end.

Enjoy cooking,
Helen

Butter Bean, Sun-dried Tomato and Pesto Soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 900ml Vegetable stock
• 2 x 400g Butter beans (drained)
• 4 tbsp Sun-dried tomato puree
• 5 tbsp Green pesto

Step 1: Boil stock and butter beans for 2 minutes

Step 2: Add pesto and tomato puree and simmer for 5 minutes

Step 3: Blend soup to a smooth consistency

Step 4: Season and serve