Name: Tuscan bean soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 onion; 2 sticks of celery; 2 small carrots; 2 cloves of garlic, minced; 3 sprigs of thyme; 2 sticks of rosemary; ½ tsp smoked paprika powder; 1 litre vegetable stock; 1 can chopped tomatoes; 1 can cannellini beans; 1 can flageolet or borlotti beans; ½ head of Savoy cabbage head; To serve: green pesto or chopped basil (optional)

Tuscan bean soup

15 Mar 2016

by Dinna

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Background

The rustic Tuscan bean soup is a hearty, yet healthy soup. It has many varieties and can be made with different beans and vegetables. Some are made with pancetta (like our tuscan bean soup with pancetta) but this soup is a simple, vegetarian version. It's made with Savoy cabbage but you can use kale or Cavolo nero too. Serve it with crusty bread and you'll be in heaven!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 sticks of celery
2 small carrots
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 sprigs of thyme
2 sticks of rosemary
½ tsp smoked paprika powder
1 litre vegetable stock
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can cannellini beans
1 can flageolet or borlotti beans
½ head of Savoy cabbage head
To serve: green pesto or chopped basil (optional)

Instructions

Roughly chop the onion, celery and carrots.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and celery. Gently cook for 5 minutes, then add the carrots, paprika, the garlic and the leaves of the fresh herbs. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until the carrots are tender.
Meanwhile, drain the beans and thinly slice the cabbage.
Once the carrots have softened, add the stock together with the tinned tomatoes. Bring the soup to the boil, add the cabbage and beans then gently simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with a spoonful of pesto, if you like.