Tomato and White Bean Soup with Spinach and Parmesan
Servings 5
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 large garlic cloves or 4 small, minced
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 14-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 3 cups cannellini beans soaked overnight or (14-oz cans) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- 5 oz fresh spinach
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the fire-roasted tomatoes, cannellini beans, broth, and parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 2½-3 hours, stirring occasionally, if using soaked beans. Side Note: If you are using canned beans, you only need to cook the soup for 45 minutes.
- Remove the lid and discard the Parmesan rind.
- Stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, and the spinach. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often, as the cheese melts and spinach wilts. Taste the soup and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately, with extra parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes on the side. Enjoy.