rosemary white bean soup

I'm on the hunt for more bean soup recipes.

Ever since I made this white bean soup and this black bean soup, I can't seem to get enough of beans and broth.

This recipe comes from one of my favourite celebrity chefs, Ina Garten. It is found in her Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (which was her first book I think.) I changed the recipe slightly by waaay reducing the amount of onions and by using canned beans instead of soaking dried ones.

We enjoyed our warm bowls with a baguette and a hunk of blue cheese. Perfect weeknight eats.

white bean and rosemary soup
serves 3-4

2 - 15.5 0z cans white beans **
1/2 yellow onion, diced
olive oil
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 branch fresh rosemary
4 C chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh pepper to taste

** In Ina's original recipe, she calls for 1 pound of dried white cannellini beans. If you go that route, then put beans in a medium bowl and cover with water by at least an inch and leave them in the fridge for 6 hours, or overnight. Drain.

In large stockpot over low to medium heat, saute onions in olive oil until onions are translucent (5-10 mins). Add garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add drained beans, rosemary, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until beans are very soft.

Remove rosemary branch and bay leaf. Coarsely puree beans, using a blender or food processor. Return soup to the pot and reheat. Season if necessary. Serve hot.