This is not a prank for bean-haters. The title of this post does not mean that if you know a bean hater that you dislike, make them a bean soup. Although that would be a good idea for a prank.
I am actually a bean-hater. But I really wish I liked beans more. They are nutrient-rich, containing a large amount of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. You can create an entire vegetarian meal centered around beans, and the more plant-based proteins like this that we eat, the better. Better for our weight, our gut and our health.
Being a nutrition consultant and knowing the importance of eating certain foods, I can’t let hating beans stop me from eating them. I need to man up!! So I’ve learned ways to eat beans. I’ve learned to eat and enjoy whole lentils and black beans because they are small. But any bean bigger than that I can not handle. It’s a texture thing for me.
So whenever a soup calls for beans, I simply puree the beans before adding them or puree the entire soup. Either way, pureeing the beans thickens the soup, which is a nice touch, and allows you to benefit from beans in all their glory. So bean-haters and bean-lovers unite and give this delicious soup a try!
Pureed White Bean Soup
Pureeing this soup makes it creamy and satisfying!
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 handful fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 15 oz. can white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese optional
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- juice of half of a lemon
Directions
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Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic. Saute until soft, about 10 minutes.
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Add basil, oregano,1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
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Add tomatoes, beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
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Add spinach, parsley and cheese if using. Cook 5 more minutes.
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Puree with an immersion blender or in a blender.
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Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Recipe Notes
You can add about a cup of cooked barley to this soup to make it even more filling!
