Parmesan White Bean Soup Recipe

This creamy white bean soup with parmesan and white wine makes a delicious winter meal. It can be slow-cooked in a crock-pot all day or prepared in a couple of hours if you soak your beans the night before. Serve a crowd and enjoy!

Parmesan White Bean Soup Recipe

serves at least eight

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dried white beans *
• 11 cups water
• 1 10 gram cube of vegetable bouillon **
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 medium-sized onions (yellow or sweet)
• 1/2 a head of garlic
• 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 ounces fresh parmesan cheese
• freshly ground black pepper corns (to taste)

• serve with a hearty, crusty bread to complete the protein.

* Cannellini beans would be best, but Great Northern or Navy will work well too.

** I used Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt

Preparation Instructions:

Working with dried beans, there are two schools of thought. Some people like to soak them overnight (in the fridge or a cool place, so that they do not start to ferment). Soaking makes the cook time much shorter (two or three hours, depending on the bean). Some people say that this also makes them easier to digest, but I haven't seen a noticeable difference. If you have a crock-pot, however, you can slow-cook the beans over a period of 4 to 10 hours. I prefer this method, since it isn't as labor-intensive and it lets the beans get really soft and buttery.

1). Whichever method you use, make sure that you pick through and wash the beans before putting them in the water.

2). Start your beans cooking. If using a crock-pot, be sure to bring everything to a rolling boil in another pot first--a crock-pot is not designed to bring its contents to a simmer from a cold temperature. Add the vegetable bouillon and white wine from the start.

3). Vegetables. Do this step about an hour before serving time (you don't want your onions to completely disintegrate).

Peel your onions and dice them. Peel all of the garlic cloves, crush them with the flat of the knife, and slice them finely. Put them all in a skillet over medium heat with the butter or margarine and the olive oil. Sautee until the onion is translucent. Add to the soup and stir in.

4). Just before serving, grate the parmesan cheese. Reserve some to sprinkle over soup bowls as garnish. Add it to the pot and stir well. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

5). Serve into bowls, garnish with parmesan cheese, and serve with a good crusty bread. Enjoy!