Peel and roughly dice the onion. Peel, wash and slice carrots, clean and wash runner beans and cut them into pieces. Clean, wash and slice the celery.
Pour the bean seeds into a sieve, rinse and drain. Wash, clean and slice the tomatoes. Wash thyme, shake dry, put 1-2 stems aside for garnishing, pluck remaining leaves from the stems.
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onion until transparent. Add thyme, bay leaf and tomato paste, sweat it, deglaze with broth, bring to the boil. Add the vegetables, except for the white beans. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.
Bring to the boil, cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper. Add white beans and bring to the boil again briefly. Arrange in small bowls garnished with thyme.