Bean Soup

A rustic, thick soup where white beans melt away in a broth enriched by pancetta. A final drizzle of raw olive oil coats the palate and highlights the fragrant bay leaf.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 100 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 387
• Protein: 14 g
• Carbs: 32 g
• Fat: 23 g

Ingredients

• 400 g White bean ( dried, soaked 12h in water )
• 100 g Pancetta or dry rolled pork belly ( finely diced )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Carrot ( finely diced )
• 1 piece Apium graveolens ( finely diced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( germ removed and crushed )
• 2 piece Round tomato ( peeled and crushed )
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil ( for cooking and serving )
• 1.5 L Mineral water
• 1 piece Bay leaf
• 1 piece Thyme ( whole sprig )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 1 piece Vegetable broth ( crumbled )
• 1 piece Rosemary ( whole sprig )

Instructions

1. Soffritto preparation

   Dice the onion, carrot, and celery into 5mm cubes. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife. Cut the pancetta into small lardons.

2. Sweating the aromatics

   In a cast-iron pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté the pancetta until the fat is translucent, then add the soffritto. The vegetables should soften without browning.

3. Slow simmering

   Stir in the beans, crushed tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour in the water and add the vegetable bouillon. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered. The beans are cooked when a knife blade enters them like butter.

4. Thickening and finishing

   Remove the bay leaf and rosemary. Take out a ladleful of beans, mash them with a fork, and return them to the soup to thicken the broth. Adjust the seasoning. The soup should be creamy and coat the spoon.

Chef's tips

• Never salt the beans at the start, as it toughens the skin and prevents proper cooking.
• The final drizzle of olive oil should be generous and high quality; it's what carries the flavors.
• If the soup is too thin, mash more beans against the sides of the pot to thicken it.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. It often tastes better the next day once the flavors have infused.