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
- 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.
- Add the tomato paste, and stir for a minute or so.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, salt & pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- 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