Corsican Bean Soup with Greens

This Corsican bean soup with greens is a hearty and flavorful soup that combines tender white beans, potatoes, chard, cabbage, and smoky pork in a delicious and nutrient-rich broth. 

I’ve been craving a hearty and flavorful veggie-loaded soup, so when I stumbled upon this tasty Coriscian bean soup with greens recipe on Food and Wine, I knew I had to make it. I halved their recipe and adapted a few ingredients to use what I had in the refrigerator. The soup smelled amazing while it simmered, and we all thought it was hearty, comforting, and delicious.

Corsican Bean Soup with Greens

Ingredients:

• 8 oz dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
• 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, and 2 parsley sprigs, tied together with kitchen twine)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ green cabbage, cored and chopped
• 2 medium (or 4 small) russet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups green Swiss chard, stems removed & chopped
• 1 large (or 2 small leeks), white parts only, chopped
• 3 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 8 cups of chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can of whole tomatoes, drained, slightly crushed by hand
• 1 small ham hock and/or 8 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled    *** You can also use a small ham bone and pork shoulder, cut into chunks

How to make Corsican Bean Soup with Greens

Place the beans in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain the beans, place them in a large saucepan, and cover them with 2 inches of water. Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes; drain, reserving the bouquet garni.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the cabbage, potatoes, chard, leeks, carrots, onion, garlic, chicken bullion, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are wilted, about 10 minutes.

Add 8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth along with the, drained beans, crushed whole tomatoes, cooked bacon crumbles (or ham hock or pork shoulder), and reserved bouquet garni.

Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans and vegetables are very tender, about 2 hours.

Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Remove and chop the meat from the ham hock before discarding the bone. Taste the soup and re-season if needed.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Enjoy.