Simple Summer Vegetable Soup

When the garden is overflowing and you need a recipe that puts all those summer vegetables to good use, this soup is your answer.

Onion, carrots, and celery get a quick saute in butter, then chicken broth and fresh chopped tomatoes simmer everything into a light, brothy bowl.

Zucchini, green beans (or peas), and fresh spinach go in at the end so they stay vibrant and tender without turning to mush.

It’s the kind of clean, uncomplicated soup that lets the vegetables do all the talking. Thirty minutes, start to finish.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the best fresh tomatoes you can find. Peak-season tomatoes make this soup sing in a way canned ones simply can’t.
• Add the spinach in the final minute only. It wilts almost instantly and overcooking turns it army green and slimy.
• Swap in whatever summer vegetables you have on hand. Yellow squash, corn kernels, or fresh peas all work beautifully here.
• A drizzle of good olive oil and a shaving of Parmesan over each bowl elevates this from simple to special without any extra work.