Superfoods Tuscan Bean Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Place the kidney beans in a medium pot, add water to cover by 2-inches and bring to a boil. (If using canned kidney beans, skip this step.) Turn the heat down, let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until just-tender. Use the same process for the cannellini beans.
• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, rendering the fat and cooking until slightly crispy about 3 minutes. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add the diced tomatoes, the cooked and drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, chick peas, and the chicken stock. Using kitchen twine, tie the herbs and the bay leaf into a bundle and add to the pot. Season with the red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the kale. Continue cooking until the beans are completely tender.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil over the slices of peasant bread, season with a little salt and pepper and toast in the oven. Serve the soup in large bowls with grated Parmesan and a slice of toast.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the capicola, red onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 2 cups water, the parmesan rind, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parmesan rind.
• Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread; rub both sides with the whole garlic clove and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Stir the escarole into the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Top each serving of soup with a piece of toast. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Steps:

• Placed washed, dried beans in a stockpot with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Turn off the heat; cover; allow them to soak for 1 hours.
• Drain beans thoroughly. Return them to the stockpot. Cover with 3 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 30 - 40 minutes or until beans are done. Skim off any foam that develops.
• During last 10 minutes of cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, stirring constantly. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are nicely browned. Add entire contents of skillet to stockpot and remove from heat.
• With immersion blender, puree the soup. Adjust thickness with water if necessary. Stir in sage. Cover and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Note: if you have a blender rather than an immersion blender, allow the soup to cool slightly. Puree it in batches in the regular blender. Return soup to stockpot and gently reheat.
• Note Two: You can use a 15.5 oz can of drained and rinsed beans instead of the dried ones. Just begin recipe at Step 3.
• Note Three: You can use fresh sage if you want to instead of dried. Use 1/2 T. fresh, snipped sage.