Tuscan Soup with White Beans, Vegetables, and Herbs

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried navy beans
• 1 leek (white part only, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot (3/4-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (3/4-inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (loosely packed)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 2 cups water + additional for cooking the beans
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the beans in a deep pot and cover them with cold water to 1 inch above the beans. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute.

2. 2

   Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the beans sit for 1 hour.

3. 3

   Drain the beans and return them to the same pot. Cover them with cold water to 2 inches above the beans.

4. 4

   Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot partway so it does not boil over and simmer the beans until soft and creamy, about 45 to 60 minutes.

5. 5

   Put the leek, onion, carrot, celery, and parsley in your food processor, and pulse until finely chopped and moist.

6. 6

   Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.

7. 7

   Add the chopped vegetables and saute for 5 minutes, or until soft. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Increase the heat and cook the vegetables until golden, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

9. 9

   Add the broth, 2 cups water, and rosemary. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very soft.

10. 10

    Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to partly puree the vegetables with some vegetables bits remaining.

11. 11

    Add 2 cups of the drained, cooked beans to the soup.

12. 12

    Return the pot to the heat and cook until the beans are heated through.

13. 13

    Season the soup with salt and pepper.