Ultimate Vegetable Soup

There’s vegetable soup, and then there’s the ultimate vegetable soup.

That’s what this recipe is all about. It positively brims with onion, mushrooms, courgettes, celery, spinach, tomatoes, and (surprise!) chickpeas! The Parmesan rind adds a depth of flavour that will have everybody wondering what your secret is. This is no mere side dish; this soup is a real meal.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 225g white button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 2 medium courgettes, diced

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 1 large celery stalk, cut into thin slices

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

• 1.5 litres low-sodium vegetable broth

• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 Parmesan rind (optional)

• 200g raw baby spinach leaves, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped

SERVES 8 TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their water and soften, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the courgettes, carrots, celery, salt, oregano, thyme, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. MAKE IT SOUP: Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes with their juices, chickpeas, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a medium-low, and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook an additional 5 minutes. SERVE THE SOUP: Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, then season the soup to taste with additional salt and pepper. Divide among 8 bowls and serve. NOTE: This soup is even better the next day.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (1 SERVING = 500ML) Calories 138, Total Fat 4.5 g 7%, Saturated Fat 0.6 g 3%, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg 0%, Sodium 623.6 mg 26%, Total Carb 20.5 g 7%, Dietary Fibre 5.4 g 22%, Sugars 6.9 g, Added Sugars 0 g, Protein 5.2 g 10%, Vitamin D 2 mcg 0%, Calcium 77.8 mg 8%, Iron 2 mg 11%, Potassium 326.8 mg 9%