Recipe: Summer Vegetable and White Bean Soup

Soup generally comes to mind when the temperatures are cool, but this summer vegetable and white bean soup features in-season ingredients, making it a perfect light dish for summer.  Whether it’s extra garden bounty or just items in need of use, soup can be a great way to extend the life of fresh veggies when they are past their prime.  Summer soups also make for a switch-up to how we serve our veggies in the warmer months, if raw veggies don’t settle well or cause digestive upset.

If you feel even more adventurous with your summer soup, this dish can certainly be enjoyed cold. Feel free to serve this as is for a lighter meal, or consider adding extra white beans or chicken sausage and pairing it with fresh bread for a heartier dish.

Summer Vegetable and White Bean Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 small yellow onions, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped (or 4-5 tsp minced garlic from a jar)
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 32 oz low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
• 15 1/2 oz can tomato sauce
• 15 1/2 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 6-8 oz fresh spinach or baby kale

Instructions:

1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat on the stove, add oil, onions, and carrots. Sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Add garlic, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes. Sauté 2-3 minutes or until tender.
3. Add thyme, oregano, and basil. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add broth, tomato sauce, white beans, salt, and pepper (if desired). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  Simmer, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes.
5. Add spinach/kale. Simmer 3 minutes or until tender. Serve hot or cold.

Swaps:

• For the white beans: chickpeas, kidney beans, or pinto beans
• For the tomatoes: 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• For the dried herbs: fresh herbs, finely chopped (1 Tbsp each of thyme, oregano, and basil added near the end of cooking)
• For the salt: if using canned tomatoes with broth and tomato sauce, additional salt may not be needed.