Weeknight White Bean Soup (the pantry saved me again)

I didn't plan this one. It was 6 o'clock, the fridge was looking sad, and the pantry had cans of white beans doing nothing. This is what came out, and honestly it might be better than if I'd tried.

What you need

• 2 cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 onion, chopped small
• A big glug of olive oil
• 4 cups broth (or water plus whatever bouillon you like)
• A parmesan rind if you've got one — don't stress if you don't
• A few handfuls of greens (spinach, kale, whatever's wilting)
• Lemon, salt, pepper

How it goes

1. Soften the onion and garlic in the olive oil, low and slow, until sweet — about 8 minutes.
2. Add the beans and broth (and that parmesan rind). Simmer 10–15 minutes.
3. Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken it up.
4. Stir in the greens until just wilted. Finish with a big squeeze of lemon.

Taste it before you salt it — the broth and parm do a lot of the work.

Make it yours

A spoon of pesto stirred in is fantastic. So is a fried egg on top, or a can of tomatoes if you want it redder. Tell me what you'd throw in — I make this different every time.