Bean Soup with Rosemary and Pancetta
Description
This Italian inspired soup will keep you warm and comforted on cold, wintry days. Serve it with a side salad and a crusty bread.
Ingredients
1 lb. dried cranberry (borlotti) beans or cannellini beans
5 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Two 3-4 inch rosemary sprigs
2 oz. pancetta chunk
1/4 - 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 quarts chicken broth/stock
Kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Sign In / Sign Up
Create, share, and connect with millions of people.Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
Continue with Email
Soak the beans:
Soak beans in water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Soup preparation:
Heat 2 T. olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat; add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, pancetta and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, another 2 - 3 minutes.
Drain soaked beans; add beans to the soup pot with the chicken broth/stock; bring to a boil; lower to a simmer; cook, uncovered until beans are tender, about 1 hour, or longer, depending in the beans; taste a bean to determine tenderness. With a slotted spoon, remove the soup's solids to a large, rimmed baking sheet to make it easier to find the rosemary and pancetta.
Discard the rosemary. When pancetta is cool enough to handle, cut into a small dice. Reserve about 1/4 of the beans in a bowl; toss those beans with the diced pancetta. Puree the remaining beans along with the remaining broth either back in the pot with a handheld immersion blender or in batches in a food processor or a blender. While pureeing, add 2 - 3 T. olive oil, a little at a time, to create a creamy, emulsified soup.
Serving: Return soup to the pot if need be; add reserved beans and pancetta; add more broth/stock to thin the soup to desired consistency. Reheat briefly; season with pepper and salt, to taste.
Serve.
6-8 servings.