One of my favorite ways to eat vegetables in the winter is in a warm, blended soup. Vegetable soups are so easy to make and don’t take much time. In this recipe, I combine white beans and broccoli. Beans are an inexpensive way to add plant-based protein and fiber to your diet. They’re also proven to be helpful in preventing a wide range of diseases.
An important note about digesting beans: Some people have difficulty digesting beans because of the lectins in them. To break down the lectins, you can soak them in water overnight, changing the water a few times, and then cook them in a pressure cooker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Or you can buy canned beans by Eden Foods. Eden Foods soaks and pressure cooks their beans before canning, which makes cooking with beans more convenient. I add a little freshly grated Parmesan to this soup, but if you don’t eat dairy, it is still delicious without the Parmesan.
White Bean and Broccoli Soup
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
2 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion diced
3 cloves of garlic diced
15 oz. can of cannelleni or other white beans, drained
Or 1 3/4 cups soaked and cooked beans
12 oz. broccoli florets
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 TSBP fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- In a medium Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and sauté for 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the beans, broccoli, 3 cups of stock, salt, and white pepper and mix well.
- Cover and let simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
- Remove from heat and ladle into a blender.
- Blend the soup until smooth.
- Wipe out the Dutch oven and pour in the blended soup. Return the soup over medium heat adding additional stock to achieve the desired consistency.
- Add the lemon juice and freshly grated Parmesan.
- Adjust seasoning if needed and serve.
- Serves 4.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
