Description
A hearty and flavorful vegetarian bean soup made with cannellini beans, aromatic herbs, and a rich tomato base, finished with a vibrant homemade hazelnut picada for added depth and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Bean Soup:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove (large), minced
- 1 brown onion (1 large or 2 small), finely chopped (~180g/6oz)
- 1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried thyme)
- 1/4 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried rosemary)
- 1 bay leaf (fresh or 1/2 dried)
- 1/3 cup tomato passata
- 4 x 400g (14oz) cans cannellini beans, drained
- 3 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade or low sodium store bought
Picada:
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove (medium), roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup whole hazelnuts, skin on (or almonds)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
Instructions
- Saute onion and herbs: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic, finely chopped onion, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes until the onions turn deep golden brown and become sweet.
- Cook tomato passata: Add 1/3 cup tomato passata to the pot and cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato changes from red and watery to dark brown and very thick. This step builds a rich depth of flavor.
- Simmer soup: Stir in the drained cannellini beans followed by 3 cups vegetable stock. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Blitz part of the soup: Transfer about 2/3 cup (150ml) of the soup into a jug or container that fits a stick blender. Blend until smooth and then stir this puree back into the soup to thicken the broth.
- Prepare picada: Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and toast, shaking the skillet frequently until golden patches appear and they smell nutty, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer hazelnuts to a clean tea towel, rub vigorously to remove most of the skins. Roughly chop hazelnuts, then blend together with parsley, garlic clove, olive oil, and salt until the mixture is like pesto but not completely smooth.
- Stir in picada and season: Just before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons of the picada into the soup. Taste and add more salt if needed as canned beans can vary in saltiness.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and add a teaspoon of the remaining picada on top of each serving. Serve immediately with crusty bread such as artisan bread, no yeast bread, or French brioche for best results.
Notes
- Passata is a smooth tomato puree, thicker than canned chopped tomatoes and essential for the deep flavor in this soup.
- Any white beans like navy beans, lima beans, or butter beans can substitute for cannellini beans. Colored beans will change the soup color but still taste great.
- For best flavor and texture, dried beans can be used: soak 2 1/2 cups dried beans for 5-24 hours, then boil and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes for fresh cannellini beans.
- Use low sodium or homemade vegetable stock to control salt levels and enhance the soup's natural taste.
- If you prefer a seafood twist, add soaked and cleaned clams or mussels 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
- Cooked soup keeps up to 4 days refrigerated. Picada loses green color when stirred in and fresh picada for topping should be used within 2 days due to raw garlic.
- Toast nuts carefully to avoid burning and ensure to rub off skins for milder flavor in picada.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 300 ml)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
