Bean soup with pancetta

This slow-cooked Italian bean soup with pancetta is perfect for lazy weekends during the colder months. It's yummy and very hearty so it's a main dish really. Make double portions and you can freeze the leftovers for another meal!

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 2

Resting Time 4

Total Time 2 10

Servings: 2 people

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 1234

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

200 g dried borlotti beans
1 red onion
75 g pancetta
3 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
500 ml chicken or vegetable broth
To serve: slices of ciabatta olive oil, chilli flakes

Method

Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight. The next day drain, rinse and drain again.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Chop the celery and onions, thinly slice the garlic and cut pancetta cut into cubes.
Put all ingredients in a large, heat-resistant, lidded dish then cook for 2 hours in the oven under cover, stirring occasionally. When the beans are soft, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, tear the ciabatta slices into bite-sized chunks, arrange them on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and the chilli flakes. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Serve the soup with the toasted ciabatta pieces.