This nourishing White Bean and Lemon Soup from Jamie Vespa MS, RD, is a vegetarian, fiber-filled meal ready in about 40 minutes. It’s a one-pot meal perfect for make-ahead lunches or easy weeknight dinners. This recipe was featured in the Art of Armenian and Middle Eastern Cooking.
Ingredients:
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained*
4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 bunch escarole, roughly chopped (sub lacinato kale or chard)
Zest and juice of 1 fresh lemon
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
Preparation:
Combine 1 can of cannellini beans and 1 cup of broth in a blender; blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium. Add onions and carrots; cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 6 or 7 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Add remaining can of cannellini beans, chickpeas, and rosemary; stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute, or a little longer.
Stir in blended bean and broth mixture, remaining 3 cups broth, and chopped escarole. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes, or until soup slightly thickens. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Gradually sprinkle in Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously (don’t add it all at once or it may clump).
Ladle soup into each of 6 bowls, and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, and chopped rosemary, if desired. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes:
Freeze: Cool soup to room temperature, and then seal it a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Lay bag flat in freezer, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Microwave soup in bag at 50% power for 3 to 4 minutes, or until pliable.
Reheat: Pour soup into a saucepan and heat over medium until soup is warmed through.
* Cannellini beans, often called white kidney beans, are a versatile, creamy, and nutty-flavored Italian staple, perfect for soups, salads, and pasta. These protein-rich, high-fiber legumes are popular in Mediterranean cuisine, especially in minestrone or paired with tuna. They are available dried (requiring soaking) or canned for quick meals.
Jamie Vespa is a registered dietitian who worked as a clinical nutrition specialist and as nutrition editor for Cooking Light magazine before devoting herself full-time to her food and nutrition blog, Dishing Out Health. Jamie started out providing nutrition counseling to hospital patients, but realized her heart was not in managing chronic disease but in preventing it through encouraging and facilitating healthy eating. She especially loves plant-based food and seasonal ingredients, and she sees food as a way to connect with others and with herself.
Her previous job included serving as a Clinical Nutrition Specialist at Tampa General Hospital. Dishing Out Health is a health-centric food blog focusing on all things delicious. “You’ll notice a lot of plant-based recipes on the blog, but I enjoy all foods in moderation. You can easily search for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan/vegetarian recipes on the blog based on your dietary preferences or health needs,” she adds.
“My philosophy is that eating healthy should be rewarding, uncomplicated, and most importantly, delicious.”
RECIPE + PHOTO VIA
Also see: Jamie’s Whipped Brie with Caramelized Persimmons at: https://dishingouthealth.com/whipped-brie-with-caramelized-persimmons/
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For #TheNewHealthy with Jamie Vespa, go to: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJZt7NVmAen-VlrND_H2yYt6fx48LNSWX
For this recipe, go to: https://dishingouthealth.com/white-bean-soup/
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See: https://www.healthcentral.com/author/jamie-vespa
See: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jesscording/2018/02/12/jamie-vespa-cooking-light/
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