Tuscan Garbanzo 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:

• Soak dried garbanzo beans in water to cover overnight.
• Rinse and inspect the beans and set aside.
• In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook of 10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Put the onion mixture, garbanzo beans, and next 5 ingredients in your crockpot.
• Simmer in the crockpot for 2 to 4 hours.
• (I will start this on low in the morning, and turn up the heat when I come home for lunch).
• To make the soup thicker, blend 4 cups of the soup in a blender, 1 cup at a time (very carefully, this is hot soup!) then place all 4 cups back into the soup.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the soup simmer another 15 minutes.
• (this is the perfect time to throw together a salad).
• Place the soup in bowls (1 1/2 cups for 6 servings) and sprinkle with parmesan (1 tbs).