Half the garden soup recipe

This simple, tasty soup is a great way of using up produce from the veg patch or veg box. The key to getting everything cooked at the same time is to make sure the carrots and squash are chopped into even, smallish cubes

• 500g onions, finely sliced
• Olive oil
• Knob of butter
• 1l vegetable stock
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 handfuls young runner beans, roughly chopped
• 1 large or 2 small squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to make half the garden soup

1. Warm a saucepan over a medium-low heat and add the butter and olive oil. Sweat the onions in the pan until soft but not coloured, about 10-15 minutes.

2. Add the stock, carrots, squash and runner beans. Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender, but only just.

3. Adjust the seasoning with a little salt and pepper and serve with a trickle of olive oil over each bowl.

© River Cottage