Tuscan Pumpkin White Bean Soup Recipes

"SUPER-TUSCAN" WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook the beans: Rinse the beans, place in a saucepan, and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for about 20 minutes, then drain.
• Return the beans to the saucepan along with the prosciutto, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and bay leaf. Pour in the chicken stock and then add water as needed to cover the beans by 2 inches. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. (If you heat them too fast, the skins may break.) Adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are almost tender, 20 minutes or longer, depending on the age of the beans. Add salt, to taste, and continue cooking until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let the beans cool in the liquid.
• Meanwhile, make the bruschetta: Preheat a stove-top grill pan. Place the bread slices in a single layer on the grill pan and toast until each side is crisp and has grill marks, about 6 minutes. (You can also toast the bread in a 500 degrees F oven on a baking sheet.) Remove from the pan and lightly brush the bread slices on both sides with olive oil, then season lightly with salt. Let cool.
• Strain the cooled beans and other solids through a sieve, reserving the liquid. In a food processor, puree the beans and solids in batches with 3 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Using a rubber spatula, push the solids through a fine mesh sieve into a clean large saucepan (you should have about 6 cups of soup in the saucepan). Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, then bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet over high heat, warm the 1/4 cup olive oil. Turn on the fan above your stove. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn brown. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for a few seconds, then add the basil. Cook until basil wilts.
• To serve, ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Top the soup with the basil mixture. Serve bruschetta with each bowl, adding Parmesan, if desired.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook bacon, onion, celery, carrot and 2 cloves garlic over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Add beans, bay leaf, wine and broth; cover and cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat; cool about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic begins to brown. Stir in red pepper flakes; cook a few seconds. Stir in basil; cook until basil wilts.
• Remove bay leaf from bean mixture. Pour mixture into food processor; cover and puree. Return to saucepan; stir in salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated.
• Ladle soup into individual soup bowls. Top each with basil mixture.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a 4 quart saucepan, over medium high heat, cook olive oil, onion, carrot, celery and potato until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add chicken broth, pepper and water; increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Increase heat to high; stir in beans with their liquid and pasta and heat to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is done, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in escarole until heated through.

TUSCAN PUMPKIN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray and set over medium-low heat. Add onion, cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in pumpkin, broth, beans and oregano; simmer 8 minutes.
• In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return soup to pot and reheat; season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese.

TUSCAN TURKEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in broth, pumpkin, beans, turkey, salt, basil and pepper. Heat through, stirring occasionally. If desired, serve with cheese.