White beans, tomato and rosemary soup

White beans, tomato and rosemary soup

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.

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:

1/2 kg dried white beans

2 tablespoons extra virgin, Italian 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 1/4 L water

Salt to taste, about 2 teaspoons

1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, optional

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 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.

Note: 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 .

White beans, tomato and rosemary soup

Print

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg dried white beans
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin Italian olive oil
• 5 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 medium white onion minced
• 3 medium sprigs of fresh rosemary the leaves stripped from the stem using an herb stripper, or by hand
• 1 1/4 L water
• Salt to taste about 2 teaspoons
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper optional

Metric - U.S. Customary

Instructions

1. Soak the dried white beans in cold water overnight.
2. Strip the rosemary leaves from the stem. I use an herb stripper which renders this task simple, efficient and rapid.
3. Place the minced onion and olive oil in the and sauté over a low flame until translucent.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for several minutes over a gentle flame until the tomatoes are tender.
5. Use a potato masher to crush the sauce.
6. Add the rosemary, white beans, salt, and water.
7. Seal and close the pressure cooker.
8. Cook the white bean soup over a medium to high flame until the pressure cooker is fully pressurized.
9. Lower the flame to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
10. Turn off the flame and allow the pressure cooker to depressurize gently.
11. 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 .

Recipe Notes

Note: 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.

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