Place the chopped vegetables, bay leaves, chili, and ground black pepper into a large saucepan.

Fill the pan with broth to cover the vegetables.

Bring to a boil on high heat, then turn to medium-low to simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft and cooked through.

Remove from heat, and remove the bay leaves.

Using an immersion hand blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency. You can use extra broth to thin if needed - reheat if necessary.

Alternatively, you can serve and add some milk to thin out the soup and give it some creaminess.

Swirl with milk or cream to serve if you're feeling fancy! Enjoy!