Tomato And Cannellini Bean Soup Recipes

TOMATO AND CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Beans Combine beans, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 2". Bring to a simmer over medium heat, add several pinches of salt, and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook at a bare simmer until beans are creamy but still hold their shape, 35-45 minutes. Let beans cool in cooking liquid; discard bay leaves.
• Do ahead
• Beans can be cooked 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Soup:
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Add tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and cook tomatoes, undisturbed, until caramelized and borderline blackened on one side, about 5 minutes. Break up tomatoes, scraping bottom of pot, and continue to cook, scraping and stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are caramelized all over, about 5 minutes more. Transfer tomatoes to a plate.
• Heat another 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium. Add onion, fennel, garlic, and a pinch or so of red pepper flakes, if desired; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and starting to brown around edges, 8-10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and tomatoes, scraping up browned bits. Drain beans and add to pot along with broth (for a thicker soup, use half of the broth plus 2 cups bean-cooking liquid). Bring to a simmer; season with salt. Cook until flavors meld, 30-45 minutes.
• Just before serving, stir in chard and cook until wilted. Ladle soup into bowls, top with almonds, and drizzle with oil.
• Do ahead
• Soup (without chard) can be made 4 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

TOMATO AND CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP WITH GARLIC AND BASIL

Steps:

• In 8-inch skillet, heat unpeeled garlic over low heat (you are dry-roasting the garlic, so there is no need for oil) 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until peel is light brown and clove feels soft inside when you touch it. (Don't rush the process by turning up the heat; garlic may burn and become bitter.) Remove garlic from skillet; set garlic aside.
• In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp around edges. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften but do not brown. Add finely chopped garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, water, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, anchovies, the cheese rind, bay leaves and rosemary; heat to boiling. (When you've used a piece of Parmesan cheese, save the rind in the freezer. If you don't have a rind, you may want to sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan cheese.) Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Peel cooled, roasted garlic cloves and place in small bowl. Add butter, salt, red pepper and pepper. Use a fork to mash garlic to a smooth paste. Spoon garlic paste into hot soup and stir well to incorporate. Sprinkle with basil and stir well. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig.