Is it time for bean soup yet? Every year, about this time, as the nights start to get cold my body wants something a bit more comforting than pasta with tomatoes. Or even some version of minestrone. I crave a big bowl of rich, thick bean soup.
Once the weather turns just a tad bit on the cooler side, and the days start to shorten, I make versions of this bean soup at least once a week, and especially when we have friends over. You have no idea how happy a simple bean soup makes people. This time of year, luckily, is when the first fresh shelling beans start to turn up, and so I use those if I can get them. But even when I can only get dried beans , it’s my soup of preference.
Since this soup is so simple, and it’s basically beans and not much else, the quality of the beans do matter. Although you can certainly use canned beans if you insist, it really won’t be the same soup. One thing that makes this soup so delicious is the use of the water the beans are cooked in. Seasoned with carrot, celery onion and bay leaf, and full of the starch from the beans, it adds a base to the soup that you just can’t get from a can.
Although the soup itself doesn’t have a lot of olive oil in it, a final swirl of your best extra virgin olive oil is absolutely essential to finish the soup, along with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
Bean Soup with Garlic
Yield 4-5
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked white beans*
- 3 cups reserved bean cooking water*
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- toasted bread (optional)
Instructions
Pour olive oil into a large pot, along with the garlic. Heat gently, till garlic begins to soften. Let cook for a few minutes, but do not let it brown. Add the beans, and give a good stir. Add some freshly ground black pepper, and the reserved bean broth, and bring to a simmer. Let cook for about 20 minutes, covered.
Take off the heat. Using an immersible blender, blend the soup just a bit. I like to have some whole beans floating around, but also like to give the watery broth a thickness.
Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
To serve, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with parsley and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top. If you want to make the dish even more filling, put a piece of toasted rustic bread at the bottom of the bowl. And if you want to add more garlic, rub the toast with a clove of garlic, before you cover it with soup.
Cooking Beans
This will make 7 cups of cooked beans
1 pound dried cannelini or borlotti beans1 carrot, peeled1 stalk celery1 onion, peeled and cut in half1 or 2 bay leaves1/2 teaspoon salt
Put the beans to soak the night before you are going to make this soup.The next morning, drain and rinse the beans and put them in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add water so it comes up 3 inches over the top of the beans.
Bring to a slow simmer. As the foam from the beans begins to form on the surface of the water, remove with a spoon and discard. Once the foam has stopped forming, add the other ingredients, return to simmer, and place the lid on, slightly askew. Cook until quiet tender, but be careful not to over cook.
Turn off heat and drain, reserving the bean broth!!
You will need 4 cups of beans for the recipe above. You can place the excess beans in a ziplock bag and freeze or use during the week for other dishes
This recipe is from my book The Italian Table.
If you’d like to join me in Italy for a meal like this, you can! See this page for our current week-long food tours. These photos were taken at my home in Umbria, where we have our welcome dinner for our Week in Umbria Tour.
This sounds so good; I do love soup and I’ll try this later in the week. Making zucchini soup tonight!
Dear Elizabeth
I am of Italian decent but live in the United States. I enjoy reading all you newsletters so much.
Thank you for making me feel closer to my family traditions.
If possible could you please share with me a source for these soup bowls and plates? Would love to have a service of 4 to 8.
Thanks again.
Adele
Hi Adele, the dishes are from Sberna in Deruta. And they ship!!