Make Cannellini Beans Soup, Nutritious, Tasty

• Food: Cannellini Beans Soup

• Writer: Alice

• Content-Type: Food Blog

In this recipe for cannellini beans soup, Swiss chard, olive oil, and plenty of lemon juice convert a plain pot of beans into a flavorful, nutritious dish.

I adore how easy this recipe for cannellini bean soup is. When we were making infrequent excursions to the grocery store in the spring of last year, I started making it.

It simply requires a small number of adaptable ingredients, including Swiss chard, aromatics, lemon juice, and dried cannellini beans. Other dried white beans, such as Great Northern or navy beans, can be used in place of cannellini beans if you don’t have any.

Use kale or spinach if you don’t have chard instead. Not a shallot? Attempt an onion. No, you get the picture.

These basic ingredients become a filling, hearty one-pot meal after a protracted, hands-off simmer. If you have never cooked with dry beans before, you will immediately recognize their power.

A tasty broth is produced when they cook because some of their carbohydrates are released into the cooking water. When you dine, be sure to pair this dish with cannellini beans soup with some fine crusty bread.

Every last drop of that delectable cooking liquid should be sucked up by you!

CANNELLINI BEANS SOUP: A COOK’S GUIDE

Don’t be scared off by the lengthy preparation period for these cannellini beans. Nearly all of the work is done automatically! Here’s what happens:

Soak the beans initially. Take note! This step must be completed the day before you intend to cook the beans, or at least eight hours beforehand.

Planning can be a headache, but it’s worth it because soaking the beans reduces the amount of time they need to boil and makes them simpler to digest.

Put the beans in a big bowl and sift them, removing any rocks or debris. Place them aside to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight and cover them with cold water.

Drain and rinse the beans next. They should be put in a big pot with two inches of water on top.

Prepare then! After bringing the water to a boil, skim off any froth that forms on the surface. Simmer for 30 minutes on a lower heat. Include the seasonings, salt, and pepper.

To make the beans easier to digest, you can also add a piece of kombu, but be sure to keep the water temperature at a soft simmer. The kombu will make it bitter if it comes to a boil.

Once the beans are cooked, simmer for an additional hour to two. Every half-hour, I like to check them. Add additional water as needed to keep the beans submerged if the pot ever starts to dry out.

Season lastly to taste. Take off the kombu, fennel, and garlic from the pot after the cannellini beans are cooked through. To make a paste, crush the garlic cloves after removing the papery skins.

Swiss chard, olive oil, and lemon juice, and stir it back into the pot; cook for a few more minutes, or until the chard is just wilted. To taste, adjust the salt, pepper, and lemon. All done!

SERVING IDEAS FOR CANNELLINI BEANS SOUP RECIPE

Ladle the cooked cannellini beans and liquid into bowls when you’re ready to eat. Sprinkle chopped parsley and red pepper flakes over each one, then drizzle each with olive oil. Take a bite without the crusty bread!

Pair this cannellini beans recipe with a salad, such as my Citrus Salad, Pear Salad, or Kohlrabi Slaw, if you’re in the mood for a heartier meal. It would go well with any of these straightforward veggie side dishes as well:

• Roasted Fennel
• Blanched Green Bean
• Roasted Radishes
• Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
• Roasted Vegetables
• Sautéed or Roasted Broccoli

Enjoy!

CANNELLINI BEANS SOUP

An appealing, filling one-pot supper is this simple cannellini bean recipe! To soak up the savory soup, serve it with some nice, crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups dried cannellini beans
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 1 garlic bulb, top evenly sliced off
• 1 fennel, white bulb, chopped, tops and fronds, cut into large 4-inch pieces (the tops will be removed toward the end)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (3-inch) piece of kombu, rinsed, optional* (see note)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves torn
• Crusty bread, for serving
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a big bowl, put the beans. Remove any stones or other trash after going through them. Cover with 2 to 3 inches of water, then drain any floating beans. 8 hours or overnight of soaking at room temperature. Rinse well after draining.
2. Add 2 inches of water to a big pot with the beans inside. Boiling is achieved. Simmer for 30 minutes with the heat reduced and the lid off. After removing any foam off the top, add the kombu, and if using, the shallots, garlic, fennel, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stirring regularly, simmer for a further two hours or until the meat is tender. The type and freshness of your beans will determine the timing (older beans will take longer than fresher beans). On average, I check them every 30 minutes. As the water begins to evaporate, replenish the pot as necessary.
3. Remove the garlic, fennel stalks, and kombu once the beans are cooked through. Get rid of the garlic papers. After making a paste out of the soft garlic cloves using the back of a knife, add it back to the saucepan. Season to taste after adding the lemon juice and olive oil. I enjoy adding half to one teaspoon of salt, extra pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes.
4. Cook the chard leaves after being added until they are just wilted. Serve in dishes with olive oil drizzles and crusty bread after seasoning to taste. Add a little parsley.

NOTES

*The kombu is not required, but it makes the beans easier to digest. After adding kombu, keep the beans cooking at a medium simmer because boiling it might make them bitter.