Tuscan Bean soup

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 large fennel bulb
• I small yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans
• 4-6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Or substitute instead of fennel:
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped into coins
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• Alternative spicing:
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven, on the stove, over medium-low heat.
2. Dice the onion, garlic, and shallots and add them to the hot oil. Stir and sauté them for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
3. Then, wash and chop the carrots and celery and add them to the pot. Sauté for another 7-10 minutes – this is really important to ensure that the flavors build.
4. Prepare the beans. Rinse and drain the cannellini beans, and add them to the pot along with the bay leaves, Italian seasoning, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper.
5. Bring the soup mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
6. Next, remove the cover to pull out and discard the bay leaves.
7. Then, blend the soup. Transfer two cups of the soup to a high-speed blender and blend until it's thick and creamy.
8. Once the soup is blended, return it to the pot and stir generously.
9. Finally, add in the spinach and stir until it's wilted.
10. Once the soup is done, transfer it into bowls. Garnish it with fresh chopped parsley or dill, if desired, serve with crusty bread, and enjoy!
11. Nutrition
12. 6 servings: Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1010mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5293IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg