Escarole and Bean Soup
Submitted by: nottoosoupy
Photo by: LaurenB248
A hearty main dish soup with cannellini beans, excarole, and orzo pasta--rosemary and red pepper flakes add great flavor.Ingredients
- 1 can white beans (can be any white but I usually use Cannellini)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 head escarole, washed and chopped roughly
- 1/4 cup orzo pasta
- 2 fresh or 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped fine or 1 tsp dried, crushed rosemary
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Salt to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper to tase
- 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
Save Recipe
Interact
Method
Saute onion in olive oil on medium heat until soft, around 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add beans, stock, bay leaf, rosemary, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash up beans so they are chunky, but broken. Add escarole and orzo and simmer for another 15 minutes or until pasta is very soft and escarole is very wilted. Add parsley and salt to taste. Once served into bowls, top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve with popovers for a nice savory and sweet contrast.
Notes: The soup should be thick, but not starchy. If you find you need more liquid after smashing the beans, add either more stock, or water in 1/4 cup increments to desired texture. The potato masher works fine, but an electric ricer or the back of a wooden spoon works, too. Normally this soup does not need salt, so taste before adding. Be generous with black pepper, and the red pepper flakes give the soup a nice "kick". A pinch of nutmeg added right at the end of cooking gives it another dimension, if you like nutmeg.
Number of Servings: 2-3
Submitted by: nottoosoupy ( See all of nottoosoupy Recipes )
Advertisement
