1/2teaspoonHerbes de Provence, or a pinch of thyme, rosemary, basil and/or savory
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
8-10mini red potatoes, halved
1 1/4cupsgreen beans, fresh or frozen, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1cup peas, fresh or frozen
14ozcanned white kidney cannellini beans, , drained and rinsed
28ozcanned whole plum tomatoes, with juice
3-4handfulsfresh baby spinach
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Instructions
n a large soup pot (5 1/2 - 6 quarts), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add celery, carrots and parsnips and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Add chicken stock, thyme sprigs, Herbes de Provence and a bit of salt and pepper. Raise heat under pot to medium-high and bring stock to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and green beans and simmer an additional 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add frozen peas and kidney beans and simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes by hand-crushing them into the soup, adding the juice as well. Add the spinach. Simmer 10-15 minutes more, to allow flavours to blend. If soup is too thick, add a bit more chicken stock to thin.
Taste soup and add salt and pepper, as needed. You may also like to stir in a few more fresh thyme leaves at this point.