White Bean Soup
My white bean soup is loaded with beans, veggies, and a tasty broth. Using canned beans drastically shortens the cooking time while still providing all that delicious flavor of this rustic favorite.
Ingredients
- 3 15 1/2 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed in cold water and drained again
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely or minced
- 2 fresh carrots, chopped into small pieces or diced
- 1 long celery stalk, chopped or diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped or diced
- 1/4 tsp course sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 large bay leaf
- 5 cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top, this is optional
- chopped parsley for garnish, this is optional
Instructions
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1. In a large heavy saucepan or pot, on low heat, add the olive oil to warm up. Just about 30 seconds. Turn the heat to medium and add in the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and red peppers. Sauté for a few minutes until you see the veggies start to wilt. About 5 minutes. Stir a few times
2. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin. Stir a few times to incorporate.
3. Now, pour in the broth. Stir and add in the beans. Toss in the bay leaf. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a low/ medium. Let the soup simmer for about 25 minutes while stirring frequently. You don't want anything to stick to the bottom of the pan and burning. The soup will start to thicken up.
4. Take off the heat and stir. Let sit on the stove for about 10 minutes to cool down a bit and to thicken even more. Pull out the bay leaf. Check for seasoning such as salt. To serve, ladle in soup bowls. For garnish, you can sprinkle some grated parmesan and parsley or leave as is. Enjoy!