Description
A rich and creamy tomato bean soup that combines the sweetness of sautéed vegetables with the tangy intensity of tomato paste and white beans, finished with a touch of cream and parmesan for a comforting, hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1 onion, finely chopped (brown, yellow, or white)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian herb mix (oregano, thyme, parsley, basil, or mixed dried herbs)
Tomato & Broth
- 3/4 cup (170g) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine (optional)
- 4 cups (1 litre) low sodium chicken or vegetable stock/broth
Beans & Cheese
- 3 x 420g (15oz) cans cannellini or any white beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups dried beans, cooked to 5.5 cups)
- 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan, grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Greens & Cream
- 120g (4oz) baby spinach (or 5-6 cups other leafy greens, or 4 cups diced vegetables)
- 3/4 cup (185ml) heavy/thickened cream (optional) or more butter
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Sauté Vegetables: Melt the butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped garlic, onion, and carrot and cook for 5 minutes until the carrot softens and sweetens.
- Add Herbs: About 3 minutes into cooking the vegetables, stir in the Italian herb mix and cook with the onions to allow the herbs to bloom and enhance their flavor.
- Cook Tomato Paste: Turn the heat up to high, add the tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes to remove its raw taste and intensify the tomato flavor.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the white wine and cook for 3 minutes until the sharp wine smell dissipates and mostly evaporates, leaving the tomato paste flavor.
- Add Beans, Stock, and Seasonings: Add 1/2 cup of the beans to the pot along with the stock, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then cover and simmer on low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Puree Soup: Use a stick blender to blend the soup until smooth, or transfer to a blender and puree until creamy.
- Finish Soup: Add the remaining beans, then simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach until it wilts, then mix in the cream if using. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind canned beans are already salted.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot with crusty bread for dunking and enjoying.
Notes
- Tomato paste lends an intense tomato flavor; it can be substituted with 800g canned crushed or diced tomatoes or passata. When substituting, reduce stock to 3 cups and add tomatoes with stock. Add 1/4 cup beans and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes before pureeing.
- Any white beans work well; color variations can slightly change the soup's appearance. Lentils and split peas are also optional alternatives but will affect color.
- For dried beans, soak 2 cups in water for 5-24 hours and then simmer until tender, which could take 25 minutes to over 2 hours depending on bean variety and age.
- For firmer dried beans, you may need to simmer the initial 1/2 cup added to the soup longer to achieve a smooth puree.
- Extra vegetables can be added by cooking them first, then adding back into the soup at the end or stirring in quick-wilt greens or frozen vegetables with the beans.
- Protein options include seared bacon, ham, cooked sausage, shredded chicken, poached fish, or canned salmon or tuna added at the end.
- Store soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze and gently reheat for later use.
- This recipe yields 4 generous servings and is very filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 300g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
