Spring Vegetable Soup

Spring vegetable soup is a light and healthy dish, ideal for enjoying the fresh flavors of this season. Here is a basic recipe that you can then customize according to your tastes and the vegetables you have at hand.

Ingredients

• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 200 g of fresh or frozen peas
• 200 g of fresh or frozen broad beans
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 150 g of asparagus, cut into about 2 cm pieces
• 1 liter of vegetable broth (you can use homemade stock or a cube, preferably organic)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A pinch of thyme or fresh basil (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese to serve (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until it becomes translucent.
2. Add the carrots and celery, and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth and slowly bring to a boil.
4. Add the peas and broad beans, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
5. At this point, include the zucchini and asparagus in the soup and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
6. Season with salt and pepper and add thyme or basil if you desire a fresher and more spring-like aroma.
7. Serve your soup hot with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese if you like.

Curiosities

Vegetable soup is a very versatile dish. For example, you could add an Italian touch with some short pasta, like ditalini or orzo, cooking it directly in the broth. Alternatively, transform the soup into a cream soup by blending the cooked vegetables to have an even creamier dish. Moreover, if you can find seasonal vegetables from your area, the dish will be even richer in flavor and sustainability.