White Bean Soup with Bacon
Hearty and brimming with rustic Tuscan flavor, this white bean soup melds smoky bacon with tender white beans and a medley of sautéed vegetables. Enriched with herbs, wine, and a hint of cream, it's the ideal dish to savor on cool days. Simple to prepare in a single pot, this soul-warming recipe comes together swiftly without compromising depth of flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 14.5 oz cans White Beans, undrained (such as Cannellini or Great Northern)
- 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- ¾ tsp Kosher Salt plus additional to taste
- ¼ – ½ cup Heavy Cream or substitute with Half and Half
- 1 whole Parmesan Cheese Rind
- 3 medium Carrots peeled and finely diced (approx. ¾ cup)
- 10 strips Bacon diced
- ½ cup White Wine
- 3 medium Celery stalks finely diced (approx. ¾ cup)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Italian Parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated, with extra for serving
- 4 small Garlic cloves minced
- ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes more or less to taste
- Heaping ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper plus more to taste
- 4 cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Stock or substitute with vegetable stock or bouillon
- 1 whole Bay Leaf
- 2 large Shallots peeled and diced (approx. 1½ cups)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, cook the diced bacon, stirring occasionally, until it turns crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings behind.
- Ensure there's about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot; if necessary, supplement with olive oil.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the diced shallots, carrots, and celery. Sauté, stirring often, for approximately 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, stirring continuously for about 30 seconds to one minute until aromatic.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pot’s bottom using a wooden spoon. Simmer until the wine reduces to roughly 2 tablespoons, about 3–4 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock along with the undrained white beans, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, and the parmesan rind. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, immediately lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15–18 minutes.
- Discard the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf using tongs. (Leave the parmesan rind unless blending the soup, in which case remove it.) Stir in the reserved bacon, ¼ cup of heavy cream, chopped parsley, and grated parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt, pepper, or cream as desired.
- To thicken the soup, either mash 1–2 cups of the beans or use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup to your preferred consistency. Alternatively, puree a portion in a stand mixer and return it to the pot.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with additional parmesan, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Garlic: If preferred, reduce the garlic quantity to suit personal taste.
Beans: Retain the liquid from canned beans as it contributes to the soup’s texture and richness. Adjust salt accordingly due to the sodium content.
Beans: Retain the liquid from canned beans as it contributes to the soup’s texture and richness. Adjust salt accordingly due to the sodium content.