Vegetable stock (diluted)

Classic Italian minestrone — hearty, filling, and endlessly flexible. Beans and tomato are non-negotiable; everything else can shift with what you have.

Everything goes in one pot — pasta, sauce, veg, all of it. Ready in about 15 minutes of simmering and honestly one of the easiest weeknight dinners you'll make.

Barley instead of rice makes this risotto heartier and more nutritious — and it works beautifully. Great on its own or alongside grilled meat.