Easy Vegetable Soup

I threw together this vegetable soup for lunch the other day. It was really tasty and warming, with the Tabasco giving a good little zing. It's also super healthy, which is a bonus. I diced all my vegetables into about 5mm - 1cm cubes. Vary it according to how you like it, but be aware that the chunkier they are, the longer it'll take to cook.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  medium leeks, white part only, cut into rings
• 4  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200  g  waxy potatoes, finely diced
• 2  carrots, finely diced
• 1  red bell pepper, finely diced
• 150  g  French beans, cut into 1cm lengths
• 1  liter  chicken stock or 1  liter  vegetable stock
• 800  g canned tomatoes
• 400  g  tinned sweetcorn
• 400  g kidney beans
• 1  tablespoon dried thyme
•  Tabasco sauce, to taste
•  salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the leeks and garlic, cover and sweat over a low-medium heat for 8 minutes, until tender.
2. Add the potatoes, carrots, bell pepper and beans and heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour over the stock and tomatoes, including their juice. If using whole plum tomatoes, chop them slightly in the pan (I prefer them to be in largish chunks rather than using pre-chopped tomatoes).
4. Bring to the boil. Add the thyme and simmer for 25 minutes (or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking).
5. Add the kidney beans and sweetcorn, then season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco.