White Bean Soup with Salad Salsa Recipe 🍲🥗

Introduction:

This delightful White Bean Soup with Salad Salsa is a treasure passed down from a friend, originally sourced from the esteemed cookbook “HeartSmart.” Bursting with flavor and brimming with wholesome goodness, it’s a culinary masterpiece that’s as good for you as it is delicious. Perfect for those warm summer evenings or even as a comforting weeknight meal, this stove-top wonder will leave your taste buds singing with joy. Plus, with the option to use canned beans for a quick fix or swap vegetable stock for chicken, it’s incredibly versatile!

Ingredients:

For the Soup:

1 1/2 cups white kidney beans
2 cups navy beans
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
8 cups vegetable stock
1 potato, diced
1/2 cup pasta or rice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad Salsa:

2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup arugula, chopped
2 cups watercress, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preparing the Beans:

Soak Beans: Begin by covering the white kidney beans and navy beans with water and soaking them for 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Rinse and Drain: After soaking, rinse and drain the beans well.

Making the Soup:

Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped onions, and hot red pepper flakes. Sauté for a few minutes until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.
Add Beans and Stock: Stir in the soaked and drained beans along with the vegetable stock.
Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, covered, for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender.
Add Potato: Add diced potato to the pot and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potato is tender.
Blend Soup: Carefully transfer the soup to a blender or food processor in small batches and puree until smooth.
Adjust Consistency: Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and thin it with additional stock or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Add Pasta or Rice: Stir in the pasta or rice and cook for an additional 10 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Final Touches: Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if necessary. If the addition of pasta or rice has thickened the soup too much, you can thin it again with more stock or water.

Making the Salad Salsa:

Combine Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, chopped arugula, watercress, minced chives, sliced green onions, chopped basil, chopped parsley, and minced garlic.
Season: Season the salsa with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving:

Presentation: Ladle the hot White Bean Soup into flat bowls.
Garnish: Top each serving with a generous spoonful of the vibrant Salad Salsa in the center.
Enjoy: Serve immediately and savor the exquisite flavors of this nourishing and flavorful dish!

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 124.4 per serving
Fat Content: 1.7g
Saturated Fat Content: 0.3g
Cholesterol Content: 0mg
Sodium Content: 149.2mg
Carbohydrate Content: 23.4g
Fiber Content: 4.2g
Sugar Content: 3.2g
Protein Content: 5g

Tips and Tricks:

For a quicker preparation, you can use canned beans instead of soaking dried beans.
Feel free to swap vegetable stock with chicken stock for a different flavor profile.
This soup is even more delightful when served with crusty bread or a side salad.

Conclusion:

This White Bean Soup with Salad Salsa is a true culinary delight that’s perfect for any occasion, whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal or a refreshing dish to enjoy on a warm summer evening. With its hearty flavors and wholesome ingredients, it’s sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection. So why wait? Gather your ingredients and embark on a journey of culinary bliss with this sensational recipe!