A hearty vegetarian meal with full-bodied flavor doesn't have to take hours to prepare. Reduce the cooking time of this Italian-seasoned soup with packaged vegetables and canned beans.

Ingredients

1 - cup packaged peeled baby carrots, coarsely chopped
1 - small onion, chopped
3 - tablespoons olive oil
2 - 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 32 ounce box reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 - teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 - 5 ounce package baby spinach
Freshly cracked black pepper
Cracker bread (optional)
Directions
In 4-quart Dutch oven cook and stir carrots and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add beans, broth, and seasoning. Bring to boiling; slightly mash beans. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in large skillet heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach; toss with tongs 1 to 2 minutes, just until wilted. Remove from heat. Ladle soup; top with spinach, sprinkle with pepper. Serve with cracker bread. Makes 4 servings.
From the Test Kitchen
FREEZING TIP

Prepare soup through Step 1. Let soup cool. Transfer soup to a freezer-safe container, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between the top of the soup and the rim of the container. Label and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove-top and continue with Step 2.

Nutrition Facts (Tuscan Bean Soup)
Per serving: 254 kcal cal., 11 g fat (2 g sat. fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 7 g monounsatured fat), 0 mg chol., 919 mg sodium, 36 g carb., 12 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 16 g pro. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet