Simple White Bean Soup 

There's a lot more flavor in this simple soup than the photograph can portray.

Simple White Bean Soup is perfect to make ahead for work day lunches, no matter what the temperature is outside.  It's light and filling and totally healthy!

My only mistake in making it was that I didn't make enough.  The original recipe came out of my favorite Italian cookbook and is simply called, White Bean Soup.  I changed it to fit what I had on hand in the pantry and that's what I've listed here, my on-hand version.

Max's best friend, Eli, passed by the soup pot and asked to try it.  He told me that he was a Professional Taster and he could tell me from a scale of 1 to 100 if it would be a good soup.  Eli's 8 years old, and has a wonderful sense of adventure when it comes to food.  His Mom is SO lucky!

Eli's rating, after eating two bowls, was 1000! He crumbled a few tortilla chips on top and went to town.  He did recommend that I "add a pinch more salt, but it was REALLY, REALLY GOOD!" He also asked to make sure his Mom got the recipe so she could make it.  So with all that in mind, here's the recipe.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED

• 2 (15 oz.) cans Northern Beans
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 (15oz.) can plum tomatoes or stewed tomatoes
• 1 (15oz.) hot chicken broth or 2 cups hot water
• salt & pepper to season
• extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Puree one can of Northern Bean with an immersion blender or food processor.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan.  Stir in the onion, and cook until it softens.  Add the celery, tomatoes, and cook for 5 minutes more.

Pour in hot broth.  Stir in the beans and the bean puree.  Season with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle with a little extra virgin olive oil in individual soup bowls.

LET'S EAT!

1st AMENDMENT TO THIS RECIPE

I cooked up 2 cups of Cannellini beans with 4 garlic cloves and 4 small bay leaves in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes.  Cannellini beans are larger and held up better in the end than the canned Northern beans.  I wouldn't say they had distinct flavors, one was just larger & hardier.

I ended up with a creamier soup, because I used more pureed beans than before.  That was a good move.

Here's a photo of the cannellini bean soup. I can tell it's creamier looking than the one above.  Can you?