Bean Soup

Bean soup is a tasty and nutritious dish, ideal for cold days. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 400 g of dried beans (preferably cannellini or borlotti) already soaked
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 stick of celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 400 g of peeled tomatoes or tomato purée
• 1 liter of vegetable broth or water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Rosemary or other aromatic herbs to taste
• Optional: diced pancetta or prosciutto for a non-vegetarian version

Preparation

1. Prepare a sauté with finely chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil.
2. Add the pre-soaked and drained beans, and sauté for a few minutes stirring.
3. Pour in the peeled tomatoes (or purée) and vegetable broth. If using peeled tomatoes, crush them a bit with a spoon to break them.
4. Add salt, pepper, and aromatic herbs.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 1-2 hours, until the beans are soft and the soup has reached the desired consistency. If necessary, add more broth or water during cooking.
6. If desired, halfway through cooking you can add diced pancetta or prosciutto to enrich the flavor.
7. Serve hot with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, with toasted bread croutons.

Curiosity

Bean soup is a very old dish widespread in many Italian regions, each with its own variants. For example, in Tuscany, the “ribollita” is famous, a soup that also includes black cabbage and other vegetables, often enriched with slices of homemade bread.

Remember, you can personalize the dish according to your taste and add other ingredients you might have available, such as potatoes or zucchini. Enjoy your meal!