Description
This Greek White Bean Soup is a hearty and creamy dish made with cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and brightened with lemon juice and zest. Perfect as a comforting meal, it combines tender beans simmered in vegetable stock with aromatic olive oil, garlic, and celery, delivering classic Mediterranean flavors in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Stock
- 250 grams cannellini beans, soaked overnight
- 500 ml vegetable stock (optional)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- ½ onion, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 carrot, cut into very thin slices
- 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
Seasonings and Garnish
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the Beans: Soak the cannellini beans overnight in water. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly before using to soften and prepare them for cooking.
- Sauté Onion: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced onion and sauté it until it becomes translucent, which usually takes about 5 minutes, to build the flavor base for the soup.
- Cook Vegetables: Add the chopped garlic, thinly sliced carrot, and finely chopped celery to the pot. Cook these ingredients together until the vegetables become tender and aromatic, about 5-7 minutes.
- Simmer Soup: Stir in the soaked cannellini beans, vegetable stock (if using), lemon zest, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the flavors meld.
- Blend and Finish: For a creamy texture, blend part of the soup using an immersion blender or by transferring some of the soup to a blender. Stir the blended portion back into the pot. Finally, stir in the fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors just before serving.
Notes
- Soaking beans overnight reduces cooking time and improves digestibility.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, blend a larger amount of the soup before stirring it back.
- Vegetable stock is optional; water can be used but stock adds more depth of flavor.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste after blending and adding lemon juice.
- This soup can be served warm or at room temperature.
