This recipe takes quite a bit of prep work as you neatly dice all the vegetables but the end result is well-worth the effort. It is one of my favorite soups to make when fresh cannellini beans come to the green market. This usually happens in the late summer or early fall. I particularly enjoy the zen of sitting and shelling the beans. If you have a rind of Parmesan cheese on hand, throw it in the pot. It will add a lovely richness to the broth.
A version of this recipe will be found in my new book, The Mighty Bean, which will be published in February 2021.
Serves 6
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced leeks
2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
2 cups fresh cannellini beans
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced zucchini or yellow summer squash
1 cup diced green beans or yellow wax beans
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup chopped Savoy cabbage
2 cups diced Italian plum tomatoes with their juice
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil for serving, optional
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving, optional
Combine butter and oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onions, leeks and parsley. Lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or just until the aromatics begin to soften.
Stir in the cannellini beans and add 2 cups of the broth. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Begin adding all the vegetables except the tomatoes, one at a time, and cooking each one for 3 minutes before adding the next one. They should be added as they are listed in the ingredient list as this allows for the proper cooking time for each one.
When all the vegetables have been added, stir in the tomatoes and remaining vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper, raise the heat and bring to a boil.
Immediately lower the heat to a bare simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the soup is very thick.
Remove from the heat and serve with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired.
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