The desired result is more like a soft vegetable stew than a soup. Mash a few of the beans into the liquid to thicken.
3 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, finely sliced
200g carrots, roughly diced
2 celery stalks, finely sliced
200g potatoes, roughly diced
2 zucchini, sliced and halved
750ml vegetable stock or boiling water
100g fine green beans, sliced
100g podded broad beans
400g canned white beans, drained
sea salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
100g peas
4 dsp pesto
extra virgin olive oil for serving
basil leaves for serving
parmesan for grating
Heat the olive oil in a fry pan and sweat the leeks, carrots and celery over gentle heat until the leeks soften. Add the potato and zucchini and sweat for 5 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock or water, and bring to a simmer. Add the green beans, broad beans and white beans and simmer for 15 minutes.
Season well, add the tomatoes and peas and simmer for 5 minutes or until all is tender. Place a tablespoon of pesto in each shallow soup bowl and spoon on the pistou, stirring gently to distribute. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, scatter with basil leaves and parmesan and serve hot.
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