Mediterranean Roman Bean Soup Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN BEAN SOUP RECIPE WITH TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the diced potatoes and onions. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, tossing regularly.
• Add the canned diced tomatoes, vinegar, spices, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for another 4 minutes.
• Uncover, add the vegetable broth and frozen spinach. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil for 4 minutes or so. Add the kidney beans, cannellini beans, and chickpeas. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes (potatoes should be tender at this point).
• While the soup is cooking, make the tomato pesto. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, place the garlic and fresh tomatoes. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the basil and puree. While the processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil a little bit at a time. Transfer the thick tomato pesto to a bowl, and stir in the grated Parmesan.
• When the soup is ready, remove from heat. Stir in the tomato pesto.
• Transfer to serving bowls. Top each bowl with a few basil leaves and toasted pine nuts. Enjoy with your favorite crusty bread!

MEDITERRANEAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups of the broth to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Add potatoes and carrots, cover, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• While potatoes cook, place oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add onions, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add 1 cup of broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the cooked potatoes, carrots, and their liquid; stir in thyme and rosemary.
• In a food processor or blender, purée the beans with the final cup of broth.
• Add to the soup and bring to a boil.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and adjust thickness with additional broth, if necessary; stir in the lemon juice.
• Serve with croutons or toasted bread as garnish.

MEDITERRANEAN ROMAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, cumin, cinnamon and pepper flakes and stir.
• Stir in sweet potato, turnips, string beans, broth, tomatoes, cilantro, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Add beans and simmer for 2 hours.
• Add green olives 5 minutes before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN BEAN AND BACON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven or medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaf, onions and herb bundle and season with a little salt and more pepper. Cook until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Deglaze with the wine, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Stir for 1 minute more. Add the stock and bring to a low boil.
• Add a few ladles of the soup to a food processor along with 1 can of beans and puree until smooth. Return the puree to the soup and stir to combine. Add the remaining can of beans and the kale and cook until the kale is wilted. Season with a hint of nutmeg. Add the cheese rind and simmer for 15 minutes at a low bubble to let the flavors combine. Adjust the seasonings.
• Remove the cheese rind, herb bundle and bay leaf from the soup. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and top with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of EVOO. Serve with bread for mopping.