Tomato Soup – But Better!

Another dreary, cold weekend – perfect for an easy, warming, smooth soup. The white beans make this tomato soup, based on one from the New York Times, heartier and protein-packed. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Tomato White Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 5 or more cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 15.5-ounce cans white beans, preferably cannellini (see note 1), liquid included
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes – whole, diced, or crushed (see note 2), liquid included
• 1 cup stock or water
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Mince the garlic. Place the garlic and olive oil in a large pot (see note 3), and heat over low heat until the garlic is just starting to turn a pale golden color.
2. Add the tomato paste, and stir for a minute or so.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, salt & pepper, and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Purée with an immersion blender; or wait until the soup has cooled a bit, and purée it in a regular blender (see note 4).

That’s it! So simple, so delicious, so healthy. What more could you want? Well, maybe some nice sunny, warm weather…

Notes

Note 1: I prefer cannellini beans because they tend to give the silkiest texture.

Note 2: I think San Marzano tomatoes have the most flavor

Note 3: Burnt garlic is disgusting and ruins any dish. Starting with a cold pan really helps.

Note 4: Immersion blenders are more convenient, but regular blenders give a smoother, frothier texture