Cali Winter Big White Bean Soup
THE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
What makes this soup is the BIG WHITE BEANS. Some might call this a “Tuscan” or shall I say “Cali Winter” White Bean Soup, but to me it’s just BIG WHITE BEAN soup. It’s flavorful, comforting, and of course it’s got plenty of fiber, protein, and micronutrients.
You can use dried or canned beans here, but I’ve been experimenting more with dried beans. While I love efficient recipes and cooking methods, I might be converted because of their superior texture and flavor. Also, soaking overnight really is just about remembering to do it, it only takes 2 minutes to set up! It’s only a little extra time for a BIG flavor reward.
Ingredient spotlight: White Runner BeansLet’s take a moment for the white runner beans (aka BIG WHITE BEANS). Once you’ve tasted a large white bean, it’s clear why they are superior, so let’s briefly talk about dried beans vs. fresh.
Dried beans: Dried beans generally are a little bit more nutritionally dense (DOI: I10.4236/fns.2011.22009) and they have less sodium than most canned beans.
No matter if you are using dried or canned beans, be sure to wash them well (washing canned beans can also help with sodium).
Soaking your beans for 4-12 hours before you cook them can actually help you digest them because it removes the oligosaccharides, and removing that big silly word basically means you’ll be less gassy. 🤣
In this recipe I used beans from Beanstory which is an amazing 100% organic company that sources their beans from small family farms (not sponsored, just love their beans).
Serving size: 6-8 (YAY LEFTOVERS)
Total time: 60 minutes (not including overnight soaking or cooking of beans)
Prep time = 20 minutes
Cook time = 40 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 bunch sturdy greens - I like a dino kale!
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp salt (and deff more to taste!)
1 lb ground chicken or pork sausage, casing removed (or your ground meat or sausage of choice, this is also optional)
In this recipe I used organic chicken sausage from Autonomy Farms! I love using a spicy chicken or pork sausage to add a little kick to the recipe.
4 cups bone broth (plus a little more pending desired consistency)
3.5 cups large white beans, or 2-15oz cans drained and rinsed.
For dried beans, I love beanstory!
1 cup (yes, 1 full cup!) chopped fresh herbs - I like a combo of basil, tarragon and rosemary
1 lemon for zesting and squeezing, to taste
Parmesan, for topping (optional)
HOW TO DO IT
START HERE - ONLY IF USING DRIED BEANSIf using dried beans, the night before rinse them in a colander and then put in a large bowl or a pot and cover the beans completely with cold water. They should be covered by about 2 inches of water. Add 2 tbsp salt. The salt will help the beans cook faster and break down the skins a little bit more. Cover the bowl or the pot with a lid or a top.
After 8-12 hours, drain and rinse them.
When you are ready to make them, place into a pot and cover again with at least 2 inches of water and turn heat to low. Stir occasionally and avoid letting the water hit a strong boil. Time depends on variety -sometime between 30 min-2 hours. Put this on before you start the soup, and then can finish cooking while you are chopping. You can even save some of this bean cooking liquid and save it for stock for this soup or another soup!
If you forget to soak them, no biggie! It just might take a little longer to cook them in step 3.
CHOP AND SAUTE STUFF1. Chop and prep the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and greens.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion, celery, garlic, carrot, and sauté until very soft and brown at the edges, about 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, rinse the greens and pull the leaves off the stems. Tear or chop into bite-size pieces and set aside. The smaller the better here because otherwise you get a massive leaf in your soup and end up getting soup all over your face…or is that just me? 🤣
ADD FLAVORING4. Next add tomato paste, cumin, and red-pepper flakes to the pot, and sauté until paste darkens, about 1 minute.
ADD PROTEIN AND BROTH,THEN SIMMER5. Next, add ground chicken or turkey sausage, fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt to the pot and sauté, breaking up the meat with your spoon, until meat is largely browned all over, about 5-8 minutes.
6. If you like a thicker broth which I do, take 1.5 cups of the beans and 1.5 cups of the bone broth (you want a 1:1 ratio) and put into the blender until smooth. Then pour it back in the pot.
7. Add the rest of the bone broth and beans, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the soup is thick and flavorful, adding more salt if needed, about 15 to 25 minutes. If you don't have this time it does not really matter, the soup might just be even more flavorful as leftovers the next day vs. the first time you enjoy it.
ADD GREENS AND TASTE TEST8. Add the greens to the pot and simmer until they are very soft. Add a little more bone broth if needed at this step.
9. Zest and squeeze lemon into the pot, and stir in the herbs.
10. Taste and add more salt, or seasonings as you like. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan!
SWAPS, TIPS & TRICKS
Swaps:To make vegetarian, use a veggie broth vs. bone broth and omit the sausage
To make vegan, use a veggie broth, omit the sausage, and omit the parmesean cheese
Tips:For more info on how to cook beans, I love the NYT guide by Melissa Clark.
Spice up this recipe however you like! If you love spice, add more red pepper flakes and a little smoked paprika. If you want it to be thicker, blend more beans in with the bone broth during step 6 above. Make this your own!
Nutritional Info
Per serving, makes about 8 servings
Calories: 300
Total Fat: 12g
Carbs: 25g
Fiber: 6g
Net Carbs: 19g
Protein: 24g
Sugars: 1g
