Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup
Tuscan Cannellini Bean and Kale Soup
Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 55 mins Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Serves: 6 - 8
A hearty traditional Italian-Tuscan soup made from cannellini beans (white beans), fresh kale, herbs, cheese, chicken stock, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and topped with pancetta.
INGREDIENTS:
2 (14oz) cans of white cannellini beans, drained, but reserve the liquid
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh kale, chopped
4oz pancetta, diced fried crispy (use bacon if you don’t have pancetta)
2 cups onion, diced
5 carrots, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
10 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
kosher sea salt, to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Parmesan cheese, grated to garnish
DIRECTIONS:
In a Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-heat, add the pancetta, and sauté (4 - 5 mins), until browned.
Place 1 cup of the beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid into the bowl of a food processor and puree. (when you add the remaining beans to the recipe, stir in the puree and add the remaining drained beans (discard the remaining liquid)
Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and rosemary, and cook over medium-low (10 mins) stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender.
Now add the cannellini beans from the food processor and remaining beans, 10 cups of chicken stock, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, (45 mins). Stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Pull out the bay leaves, stir in chopped kale, cover the pot, and allow the soup to sit off heat for 15 mins.
If the soup is too thick, you can add a cup of water.
Serve in bowls and top with crispy pancetta
Note: To reheat the soup the second day, you will likely need to add some additional water, salt and pepper.
