Best ever cannellini and butter bean soup

Oh yes, I'm right! This is, indeed, the very best beans soup ever with no exaggeration in the slightest.

I know I might be a little biased here because I am a truly, madly and very deeply in love with any beans and pulses in general and I just ❤️ soups, so I am not exaggerating at all by saying that, for me, this is the best soup ever.

I am going to ask you now, do you love beans?!

If you do, you are definitely on the right page and you should prepare this soup as soon as possible… You will be super pleased. 👌🏼 👍🏼

Now that the cold season has arrived, I’ll be preparing and sharing many warming recipes, including a few soups, so stay alert!  🚨.

This cannelloni and butter bean soup is delicious, it’s super satisfying, flavoursome and visually very tempting too!!

I have a secret to share with you, when it comes to eating this soup. I love having it  with a nice spring onion, either sprinkled over or simply on a side. It just gives it a little something that simply takes it to a dimension that I really can’t explain ;-)) but this could be also explained by the fact that this particular beans soup is just another one of those childhood soul hugger and true warmer that I could eat until I pop.

This is the type of food that would really help me with my winter coping mechanism especially in a grey and grim day like the ones aproaching.

But hey, Christmas is coming soon, and this is the season that lifts my spirit up to the ceiling. I prepare and enjoy this soup, I am truly happy and can easily forget about the cold, the grey and the grim.

Hip hip, let’s cook!

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Best ever cannellini and butter bean soup

Prep Time 6 hours

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 6 hours 45 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 500 ml stock (chicken or vegetable base)
• 500 ml water
• 300 g cannellini beans (dry)
• 200 g butter beans (dry)
• 300 g bacon (sliced) (or gammon, sliced)
• 2 medium onions
• 1/2 leek
• 2 large carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 leaves bay
• 1 spring thyme (fresh or dry)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/6 black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 can tomatoes (chopped)
• 3-4 springs dill (fresh)
• 3-6 springs parsley (fresh)
• 1/2 tsp italian herbs (mixed)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by soaking the beans over night if you wish. This is not necessary, but it is recommended to diminish the cooking time. I, however don’t do this since I cook my beans in a pressure cooker that I cannot do without. It reduces the cooking time to half.
2. Cook the beans according to the package instructions. If you choose to use canned beans, then follow step 3.
3. Peel, wash and chop the onions and the carrot, wash and chop the leek and the celery.
4. In a deep pot, start by adding one tbsp of olive oil, then add the chopped garlic and the diced gammon. if you use bacon or any fatty trimmings, start by frying this first and drain off the excess fat.
5. Add the chopped onion and cook (covered with a lid) for 2 minutes, stirring it a couple of times. Add the diced carrots, celery, 1 pinch of the Italian dry herbs salt and some pepper. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Add the cooked/canned beans and 1 l water (or half water, half stock). Cook for 20-25 min, covered.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste, the remainder of the salt, the bay leaves and cook for a further 30 minutes (15 min if using canned beans) on low/medium heat.
8. Add all chopped herbs and set aside.
9. Enjoy every mouthful... it is absolutely …. irresistible 😉

Recipe Notes

This recipe may sound pretentious but it is not at all.

~ The beans can be soaked overnight, but not necessarily.

~ You may use canned beans, if you do not fancy using the dry ones: it will not taste quite the same, but it will take a lot less time to cook/prepare it.