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    January 7, 2018

    White beans, tomato and rosemary soup

    Luscious white bean soup with tomatoes and rosemary makes a delicious and comforting winter soup

    White beans, tomato and rosemary soup is hearty and delicious, and lifts your spirits on gray days.

    What makes almost all Italian dishes so delicious are two simple things: first, fresh seasonal and good-quality ingredients. Second, the use of very few ingredients so that each ingredient has a chance to participate in the luscious flavor of the dish and white beans, tomato and rosemary soup is a perfect example of this. When in season I use fresh white beans, otherwise I use white beans that have been soaked in cold water overnight. The only other ingredients to accompany the beans and water are a hint of fresh rosemary, some fresh or canned peeled tomatoes, olive oil and salt. If you like extra flair in your soup, as my husband always does, you can add a hint of crushed hot red pepper.

    For a number of years I've been using a pressure cooker to prepare dishes that otherwise take hours such as certain cuts of meat or legumes and dried beans. Thanks to my pressure cooker I can prepare this delicious, nutritious and warming dish in a flash and enjoy it all winter long. And guess what? It's also delicious served cold in the summertime.

    Sometimes I toast a slice of country bread drizzled with olive oil, put it in the bottom of my soup bowl and cover the bread with this wonderful soup; it's a meal in itself. It's so hearty and warm that it lifts your spirits when you look out the window and see nothing but gray and drizzle. If you use less water in the recipe the white beans, tomato and rosemary soup is lovely and thick and makes an excellent side dish or topping for bruschetta. You just can't go wrong with a hearty bean soup like this.

    White beans, tomato and rosemary soup

    Ingredients:
    ½ kg dried white beans
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    Five medium tomatoes , roughly chopped
    One medium white onion, minced
    Three medium sprigs of fresh rosemary, the leaves stripped from the stem using an herb stripper , or by hand
    1 ¼ L water
    Salt to taste, about 2 teaspoons
    ½ teaspoon crushed or crumble red chili peppers , optional

    Dried white beans soaking overnight in cold water
    Herb stripper
    Luscious white bean soup with tomatoes and rosemary makes a delicious and comforting winter soup

    Procedure:
    Soak the dried white beans in cold water overnight.

    Strip the rosemary leaves from the stem. I use an herb stripper which renders this task simple, efficient and rapid.

    Place the minced onion and olive oil in the pressure cooker or instant pot and sauté over a low flame until translucent.
    Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for several minutes over a gentle flame until the tomatoes are tender.

    Use a potato masher to crush the sauce.
    Add the rosemary, white beans, salt, and water.
    Seal and close the pressure cooker.
    Cook the white bean soup over a medium to high flame until the pressure cooker is fully pressurized.
    Lower the flame to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
    Turn off the flame and allow the pressure cooker to depressurize gently.
    Every pressure cooker is different. I've had mine for well over a decade. Now there are amazing pressure cookers on the market that I've had the opportunity to cook with that cook more rapidly. As each pressure cooker is slightly different, be sure to check your beans for tenderness after the 10 minute cooking time. Cook for several more minutes if necessary. Don't make the mistake of overcooking the beans or you'll end up with a mushy soup that has little to no texture. If that happens, don't despair! Simply use an immersion blender to turn the soup into a delicious creamy bean soup.

    Serve the white beans, tomato and rosemary soup with country bread and a green salad. For a nice presentation check out these hand-painted ceramic soup serving dishes .

    Luscious white bean soup with tomatoes and rosemary makes a delicious and comforting winter soup
    Luscious white bean soup with tomatoes and rosemary makes a delicious and comforting winter soup

    White beans, tomato and rosemary soup

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    What makes almost all Italian dishes so delicious are two simple things: first, fresh seasonal and good-quality ingredients. Second, the use of very few ingredients so that each ingredient has a chance to participate in the luscious flavor of the dish and white beans, tomato and rosemary soup is a perfect example of this. When in season I use fresh white beans, otherwise I use white beans that have been soaked in cold water overnight. The only other ingredients to accompany the beans and water are a hint of fresh rosemary, some fresh or canned peeled tomatoes, olive oil and salt. If you like extra flair in your soup, as my husband always does, you can add a hint of crushed hot red pepper.
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian
    Wendy
    Servings: 4
    Wendy

    Equipment

    • Herb stripper
    • Potato masher
    • pressure cooker

    Ingredients 
    Metric - U.S. Customary

    • ½ kg white beans
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 5 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
    • 1 medium white onion minced
    • 3 medium sprigs of fresh rosemary the leaves strip from the stem using an herb stripper, or by hand
    • 1 ¼ L water
    • Salt to taste about 2 teaspoons
    • ½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper optional

    Instructions

    • Soak the dried white beans in cold water overnight.
    • Strip the rosemary leaves from the stem. I use an herb stripper which renders this task simple, efficient and rapid.
    • Place the minced onion and olive oil in the pressure cooker and sauté over a low flame until translucent.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for several minutes over a gentle flame until the tomatoes are tender.
    • Use a potato masher to crush the sauce.
    • Add the rosemary, white beans, salt, and water.
    • Seal and close the pressure cooker.
    • Cook the white bean soup over a medium to high flame until the pressure cooker is fully pressurized.
    • Lower the flame to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
    • Turn off the flame and allow the pressure cooker to depressurize gently.
    • Every pressure cooker is different. I've had mine for well over a decade. Now there are amazing pressure cookers on the market that I've had the opportunity to cook with that cook more rapidly. As each pressure cooker is slightly different, be sure to check your beans for tenderness after the 10 minute cooking time. Cook for several more minutes if necessary. Don't make the mistake of overcooking the beans or you'll end up with a mushy soup that has little to no texture. If that happens, don't despair! Simply use an immersion blender to turn the soup into a delicious creamy bean soup.
    • Serve the white beans, tomato and rosemary soup with country bread and a green salad. For a nice presentation check out these hand-painted ceramic soup serving dishes .

    Nutrition

    Serving: 150g | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 1106mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1281IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Full disclosure: I make a small commission for purchases made through links on my blog. Prices are identical to those on the Amazon website, but purchasing through my link helps support my work in bringing you great recipes and culinary information!

     

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    About

    Wendy at Roscioli
    I’m American and I’ve lived in Italy for nearly four decades with my Italian family. My passion and strength lies in sharing Italian stories, recipes and unique travel insights on my blog, my Flavor of Italy trips and tours, newsletter and podcast. Continue Reading...

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