Best Florentine White Bean Soup With Pasta Recipes

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse and pick the beans then cover them with water and soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain.
• In a large heavy bottom pot heat up a good lug of olive oil and saute the leek (or onion) with the carrot and celery until they begin to soften.
• Quickly stir in the chopped garlic and cook for a few seconds just until fragrant then add the soaked beans.
• Pour in the water and bring to a constant simmer. Add the bay, sage and rosemary, cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes or until the beans are soft and tender to your liking.
• Check the beans half way through cooking and see if you might need to add extra water if they are absorbing lots of liquid.
• Once your beans are perfectly cooked remove from heat, stir in the nutritional yeast and season to taste with the smoked sea salt.
• Meanwhile grill the bread on both sides until nice dark char marks form. Rub each slice on both sides with a garlic clove, lightly brush with some olive oil and finish with sea salt.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and tear chunks of the garlic bruschetta over the top. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil on top and enjoy.

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• To cook the beans, follow the method page 110, adding the olive oil and a sachet made with the rosemary, thyme, sage, and garlic to the cooking liquid. (If using canned beans, skip this step.)
• To make the soup, heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then add the onions, fennel, and a pinch of salt, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, potato, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then add the sage, thyme, and saffron and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.
• Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the remaining 7 1/2 cups broth and the beans, then lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the beans are heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley, basil, and another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and serve right away.
• variation
• For a more southern Italian flair and some added lycopene, add 1 cup of canned diced tomatoes (drained) after you add the garlic. Since tomatoes are naturally acidic, skip the lemon juice.
• rebecca's notes
• This is a soup that swings well both ways, as a hearty soup or as a blended soup. If you serve it blended, top it with a generous amount of Parsley Basil Drizzle (page 187) for extra yum.
• storage
• Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• nutrition information
• (per serving)
• Calories: 275
• Total Fat: 4.5g (0.7g saturated, 3g monounsaturated)
• Carbohydrates: 48g
• Protein: 12g
• Fiber: 11g
• Sodium: 680mg

FLORENTINE WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Place beans in large pot.
• Add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches.
• Let stand overnight.
• Drain beans well.
• Return to pot.
• Add 16 cups water, 5 unpeeled garlic cloves, and celery stalk.
• Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and 3 chopped garlic cloves and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with juices, rosemary, sage, and celery salt to mixture, stirring to combine.
• Add vegetable mixture to bean mixture in pot.
• Simmer soup until beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Cook pasta in another large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• Drain well.
• Add cooked pasta and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to soup, stirring to combine.
• Thin soup with more water, if desired.
• Season soup to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
• Makes 12 first-course or 6 main-course servings.