White Bean and Garlic Soup

Serve this yummy soup with bread or biscuits . This is a vegan recipe.

The original recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. However, this recipe originally called for bacon, which was used as a fat for cooking the onion and for garnish. I substituted olive oil as the cooking fat for the onion. Additionally the original recipe called for low-sodium chicken broth, which I replaced with vegetable broth.

White Bean and Garlic Soup
1 pound dried cannellini beans (2 cups), picked over and rinsed
6 cups water
1 onion, chopped fine
1 Tbsp olive oil (or butter if not cooking vegan)
1 small head of garlic, top third and loose papery skins removed and discarded
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp Salt
1 spring of rosemary
Pepper
1/4 cup minced parsley
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (optional)

• Quick Soak for Dried Beans:Bring the beans and 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, cover and let soak for 1 hour. Drain.
• Over Night Soak for Dried Beans: 1 Tbsp oil, 1 Tsp salt(these 2 items not included in list of ingredients about as you have an option in how you soak the beans), beans, and enough water to cover the beans. Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse
• Heat olive oil in large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broth, 1 tsp of salt, and drained beans to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Add the rosemary sprig, cover and let stand for 15 minutes
• Discard the rosemary. Remove the garlic and squeeze out the softened cloves (you should wait until the garlic is cool enough to touch). Mince the softened garlic and return it to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve garnishing each bowl with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil

This recipe is also great frozen and can be keep in the freezer for 1 month. Reheat over low heat, adding additional water or broth to adjust the consistency.