White Bean Italian Style Soup

Quick and Easy Vegetarian or Vegan Recipe

4 Large or 6 Modest Servings

This is a great recipe when you're busy and tired, and need something fast, hot and nourishing for supper. It's great with any kind of bread or muffins, and a salad - or not. It's vegetarian yummy with grated parmesan cheese. (I happen to think that parmesan cheese goes with everything!) It calls for canned beans, but you can cook your own very easily - it just takes more time, so you have to plan ahead. A blender is fast and easy to puree the soup, but a blender stick or stiff whisk or other pureeing or mashing device will also work, with a variety of results.

Ingredients:

• 1 can Great Northern or other white beans*
• *If you want to cook your own beans, see the directions below
• 2 - 3 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 3 Tblsp olive oil or other vegetable oil, or ghee
• 1 pinch hing or 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil OR 1 Tblsp fresh minced
• 1 tsp dried marjoram OR 1 Tblsp fresh minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme, OR several fresh sprigs
• 1/2 tsp dried ground fennel, or celery seed
• 1 tiny pinch cayenne
• 6 cups boiling water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in an 8 - 10 quart pan
2. Prep the veggies
3. Add the hing or garlic to the oil
4. Add the veggies and saute 5 minutes on med/high heat
5. Add the herbs and spices, saute briefly.
6. Drain and rinse the beans, then add to veggies.
7. Add the boiling water, simmer 1/2 hour or until veggies are very tender.
8. Remove about 1 quart veg (except carrots) with broth, and puree in a blender. Or use a food processor, food mill, blender stick, stiff whisk, or potato masher.
9. Pour the puree back into soup
10. Add salt & pepper, adjust seasonings to taste

*Great White Bean Cooking Instructions:

1. Note - This makes enough beans for a second batch, to freeze, or make a double soup recipe. Using a pressure cooker greatly reduces cooking time, but don't omit the soaking!
2. Soak 1 c. of beans 8 hours. Use hot water & change several times to cut soaking time in half
3. Drain & rinse the soaked beans, cover with cold water to cover & bring to a boil
4. Boil ten minutes & skim the foam
5. Cover & simmer for 1 - 2 hours, until falling-apart tender

Note: If you're going to soak and cook beans, it's worth making extra, to freeze in small amounts for future meals.

For more detailed advice on cooking and eating beans:
How To Eat Beans Without Gas

More great bean recipes from Savvy Vegetarian:

• Vegan Barley Bean Vegetable Soup
• Vegan Refried Beans
• Vegetarian Tabouleh Middle Eastern Salad
• Zoe's Vegetarian/Vegan Chili

Back To Vegetarian Recipe Index

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