Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup

• Time: 40 minutes (Prep 15 mins | Cook 25 mins)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 7

Ingredients

• 2 carrots (peeled and roughly sliced)
• 2 celery sticks (sliced)
• 2 medium onions (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g cannellini beans (tinned, drained)
• 200g cauliflower (broken into small florets)
• 200g broccoli (broken into small florets)
• 200g spinach (roughly chopped)
• 2 large ripe tomatoes (quartered, stalks removed)
• 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes (preferably organic, dissolved in 1.8 litres boiling water)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Method

1. Boil a full kettle.
2. Put a large pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil2 tbsp olive oil. Add the carrots2 carrots (peeled and roughly sliced), celery2 celery sticks (sliced), onions2 medium onions (peeled and roughly chopped), and garlic2 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced). Mix together and cook for around 12 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots2 carrots (peeled and roughly sliced) have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden.
3. Meanwhile, drain the beans. Break up the cauliflower200g cauliflower (broken into small florets) and broccoli200g broccoli (broken into small florets) into small florets. Quarter the tomatoes2 large ripe tomatoes (quartered, stalks removed), removing any stalks. Dissolve the stock cubes in 1.8 litres of boiling water from the kettle, then add to the vegetables in the pan.
4. Add the cannellini beans400g cannellini beans (tinned, drained), cauliflower200g cauliflower (broken into small florets), broccoli200g broccoli (broken into small florets), and quartered tomatoes2 large ripe tomatoes (quartered, stalks removed). Give the soup a good stir and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.
5. Roughly chop the spinach200g spinach (roughly chopped) and add to the pan. Cook for a further 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat. Blend using a hand blender or liquidiser, then stir back into the pan.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oilExtra virgin olive oil (for drizzling).