Tuscan Garbanzo Bean Soup Recipes

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place the kidney beans in a medium pot, add water to cover by 2-inches and bring to a boil. (If using canned kidney beans, skip this step.) Turn the heat down, let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until just-tender. Use the same process for the cannellini beans.
• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, rendering the fat and cooking until slightly crispy about 3 minutes. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add the diced tomatoes, the cooked and drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, chick peas, and the chicken stock. Using kitchen twine, tie the herbs and the bay leaf into a bundle and add to the pot. Season with the red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the kale. Continue cooking until the beans are completely tender.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil over the slices of peasant bread, season with a little salt and pepper and toast in the oven. Serve the soup in large bowls with grated Parmesan and a slice of toast.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water to cover overnight. Drain and put in a kettle and add water to cover. Add the onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer one to two hours or until cooked.
• With a slotted spoon, remove half the beans and set aside. Puree the remaining mixture, a portion at a time, in a blender. Put into a large saucepan and add the beans you set aside.
• Add the pureed tomatoes. Bring the soup to simmer, turn down heat and cook for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile fry the garlic, pancetta and parsley in the olive oil until lightly golden. Stir into the soup. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for five minutes before serving.

TUSCAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Soak dried garbanzo beans in water to cover overnight.
• Rinse and inspect the beans and set aside.
• In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook of 10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Put the onion mixture, garbanzo beans, and next 5 ingredients in your crockpot.
• Simmer in the crockpot for 2 to 4 hours.
• (I will start this on low in the morning, and turn up the heat when I come home for lunch).
• To make the soup thicker, blend 4 cups of the soup in a blender, 1 cup at a time (very carefully, this is hot soup!) then place all 4 cups back into the soup.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the soup simmer another 15 minutes.
• (this is the perfect time to throw together a salad).
• Place the soup in bowls (1 1/2 cups for 6 servings) and sprinkle with parmesan (1 tbs).

TUSCAN GARBANZO BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• cook pasta according to directions.
• at same time, in a medium saucepan , heat oil over medium heat. add onion, garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes.
• add chicken broth, tomatoes, carrot and garbanzo beans, reserve 1 cup beans.
• bring to boil, stir occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.
• puree vegetable mixture in food processor and return to saucepan.
• add drained pasta and reserved beans and heat through, add extra broth if soup is too thick.
• top with cheese.