White Bean Soup — The Tuscan Sunday

The recipe Sunday was white bean soup — the Tuscan classic. Two cans of cannellini beans simmered in chicken broth with rosemary, sage, garlic, an onion, and a parmesan rind from the freezer. Half the beans pureed for body, the rest left whole for texture.

The math: two cans of cannellini $1.58, rosemary, sage, garlic, broth, parmesan rind free. Total: about $2.40 for three meals.

The recipe is below. The trick is the parmesan rind.

White Bean Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 cans (15 oz each) white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Saute the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
2. Add the vegetables. Stir in the carrots and celery and cook for another 4 minutes, letting everything soften slightly and pick up a little color.
3. Build the broth. Add the cannellini beans, chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Simmer until tender. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the carrots are completely tender and the broth has deepened in flavor.
5. Mash for creaminess. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher, gently mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. This thickens the soup and gives it a creamy body without any added dairy.
6. Finish with spinach and lemon. Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Add the lemon juice, then taste and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.
7. Serve warm. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days and taste even better the next day.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 218 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 480mg