Creamy White Bean Soup with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Quick-Pickled Celery
By Annie PetitoPublished on September 5, 2019
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Quick-Pickled Celery
½ cup rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon table salt 1 celery rib, chopped fineExtra-virgin olive oilSoup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup chopped onion 1 small celery rib, chopped fine3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 garlic cloves, slicedPinch cayenne pepper 2 (15-ounce) cans great Northern beans 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups chicken broth, divided2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ teaspoon lemon juice, plus extra for seasoningBefore You Begin
Use a conventional blender here; an immersion blender will not produce as smooth a soup. Do not drain or rinse the beans; their liquid contributes to the soup's flavor and body. Because the salt content of canned beans varies from brand to brand, season to taste at the end of cooking.
Instructions
- Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in medium bowl and microwave until simmering, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in celery and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain celery, discarding liquid.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add thyme sprigs, garlic, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans and their liquid and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated through and just starting to break down, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and discard thyme sprigs.
- Process bean mixture and Parmesan in blender on low speed until thick, smooth puree forms, about 2 minutes. With blender running, add 1 cup broth and butter. Increase speed to high and continue to process until butter is incorporated and mixture is pourable, about 1 minute longer.
- Return soup to clean saucepan and whisk in remaining 1 cup broth. Cover and bring to simmer over medium heat, adjusting consistency with up to 1 cup hot water as needed. Off heat, stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Drizzle each portion of soup with 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with celery.
for the extra-virgin olive oil and quick-pickled celery
for the soup
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Quick-Pickled Celery
Soup
Ingredients
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Quick-Pickled Celery
Soup
Ingredients
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Quick-Pickled Celery
Soup
Why This Recipe Works
To make a creamy, smooth, and quick bean soup, we started by briefly simmering canned great Northern beans and their seasoned canning liquid with softened aromatic vegetables and herbs. Heating the beans caused their starches to hydrate, which made the soup especially creamy. Blending the beans with a small amount of liquid helped their skins break down so that the puree was completely smooth. Chicken broth plus a little Parmesan cheese and butter boosted the soup's flavor and richness. Extra-virgin olive oil and quick-pickled celery made for an easy but impressive garnish that complemented the neutral soup base with vibrant color, flavor, and texture.
Before You Begin
Use a conventional blender here; an immersion blender will not produce as smooth a soup. Do not drain or rinse the beans; their liquid contributes to the soup's flavor and body. Because the salt content of canned beans varies from brand to brand, season to taste at the end of cooking.
Instructions
- Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in medium bowl and microwave until simmering, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in celery and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain celery, discarding liquid.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add thyme sprigs, garlic, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans and their liquid and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated through and just starting to break down, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and discard thyme sprigs.
- Process bean mixture and Parmesan in blender on low speed until thick, smooth puree forms, about 2 minutes. With blender running, add 1 cup broth and butter. Increase speed to high and continue to process until butter is incorporated and mixture is pourable, about 1 minute longer.
- Return soup to clean saucepan and whisk in remaining 1 cup broth. Cover and bring to simmer over medium heat, adjusting consistency with up to 1 cup hot water as needed. Off heat, stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Drizzle each portion of soup with 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with celery.
for the extra-virgin olive oil and quick-pickled celery
for the soup
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