Clodagh McKenna’s hearty winter soup is the easy pre-Christmas meal we’re making on Xmas Eve

Before all the stress of Christmas Day cooking, who really wants to be in the kitchen making elaborate winter dinners? We want to eat them, that’s for sure. But the actual cooking and then the washing up? We’d rather give a miss.

Luckily for us, Clodagh McKenna is on hand with an easy and delicious winter recipe that takes no time at all to make and calls for very few pots and pans – in fact, all you’ll need is one of your best cast iron pots.

Clodagh’s ribollita soup is ‘full of nourishment’ thanks to all the vegetables and beans in the recipe, with garlic, fresh basil and a sprinkling of chilli flakes giving it a hearty and ‘delicious’ taste. Plus, there’s no blending involved. Simply chop, simmer and serve – what a treat!

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Clodagh’s soup recipe couldn’t be more ‘simple,’ with her large casserole pot sitting over a medium heat as diced carrots, celery, onion, and garlic are seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then covered and cooked for 10 minutes in some olive oil.

Then, she adds vegetable stock, tinned tomatoes, and cannellini beans before cooking for five minutes. And now you’re already at the final step, where you stir in your chopped leafy greens and chilli flakes. Cook the soup down for a further three minutes, season with basil and you’re ready to serve the soup in warmed bowls.

With a delicious and easy meal on the go, we’ll be taking the time we’ve saved cooking to prepare ahead for our Christmas dinner. Using Jamie Oliver’s gravy trick that could save you 5 hours on Christmas day and Ruth Langsford easy, freezable cranberry sauce recipe, Christmas cooking has never been so easy.