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Courgette, Pea and White Bean Soup with Parsley and Olive Oil

Courgettes, peas and cannellini beans simmered and blended into a smooth, creamy soup with lemon, finished with parsley and olive oil. A vegan lunch with 11g of fibre, ready in 30 minutes.

Lunch

30

Serves 4

Two white bowls of smooth yellowish-green soup topped with fresh parsley leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper, with a spoon on a grey stone surface

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil, plus 2 tsp (10ml) extra virgin olive oil to serve
  • 1 medium onion (about 100g/3½oz), chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic (about 8g), sliced
  • 2 courgettes (zucchini, about 400g/14oz), cut into 2cm/¾in chunks
  • 2 x 400g (14oz) tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 480g/1lb 1oz drained)
  • 200g/7oz/1⅓ cups frozen peas
  • 800ml/3⅓ cups hot vegetable stock (check the label if you need it gluten-free)
  • Juice of half a lemon (about 15ml), a pinch of salt and black pepper
  • A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley (about 10g), leaves picked
  • Up to 200ml/¾ cup water, to loosen

Method

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan (at least 3 litres/3 quarts) over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
  2. Add the courgettes, beans and stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 8 minutes, until the courgettes are tender. Add the peas and simmer for 2 minutes more.
  3. Take off the heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth, or in batches in a blender, taking care with the hot liquid. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of water if it is too thick.
  4. Serve topped with the parsley, a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil and black pepper.
  5. Cool any leftovers quickly and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot.

Why it works

A bowl gives you about 11g of fibre and 13g of protein for 240 calories, mostly from the cannellini beans and peas.

Creamy without cream. Blending the beans with the courgettes gives a smooth, velvety soup with no cream or butter, and adds protein and fibre.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. With 24g of carbohydrate and plenty of fibre and protein from the beans and peas, this soup is less likely to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar.

A light lunch. At 240 calories a bowl, add a slice of wholemeal bread or a spoonful of hummus if you need a more filling meal. It freezes well, so you can keep portions ready for busy days.

Free from gluten, dairy, nuts and soya as written; check the stock label for gluten and celery. For another bean soup, try the minestrone soup with cannellini beans.