Cannellini Bean Soup with Passata di Pomodoro & Gremolata

My Italian cannellini bean soup is cooked with Passata di Pomodoro and finished with a zesty garlicky swirl of Gremolata. It's easy, hearty, super delicious, gluten-free, protein packed, naturally vegan and good for you.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cannellini bean soup, white bean soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 138kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

1 yellow onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 celery stalk diced
1 small carrot peeled + sliced
1 tsp red chili flakes
3 x15 oz canned cannellini beans (drained + rinsed)
1/2 cup Passata or a good tomato sauce
1.5 tsp dry oregano
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Gremolata

1/4 cup cup Italian parsley leaves minced
1 large garlic clove grated
Zest from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a light drizzle of olive oil or water until softened and translucent and the veggies start to get a little color at the edges.
1 yellow onion, 1 small carrot, 1 celery stalk
Push the veggies to the side and add a drop of olive oil in the middle then drop in the minced garlic. Cook just until fragrant then stir in the chili flakes and herbs (oregano, bay, thyme, rosemary).
2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp red chili flakes, 1.5 tsp dry oregano, 8 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 bay leaf
Add the beans, water, Passata, nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes for the flavors to marry. (This soup tastes even better the following couple of days after it sat in the fridge and created magic together).
3 x15 oz canned cannellini beans, 1/2 cup Passata, 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 3 cups water
Transfer 1/3 to 1/2 of the bean soup to a powerful blender and process on the hot liquid setting until silky smooth. Stir back into the pot and combine with the rest of the soup.
Make Gremolata: While your soup is simmering mix together all the gremolata ingredients. Season with a tiny pinch of sea salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.
1/4 cup cup Italian parsley leaves, 1 large garlic clove, Zest from 1 lemon, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 pinch sea salt
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a spoon of the gremolata and a thick slice of bruschetta or crusty bread. (Alternatively you cab mix all the gremolata in the pot of soup but I like to serve it individually).

Notes

Add Ins + Storage - To boost up the micronutrient profile of the soup you can add about two cups or so of roughly chopped Lacinato kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking. I wanted the gremolata to really shine here so I opted for having sautéed garlic spinach + bruschetta on the side instead. The soup will taste even better the second and third day after the flavors get to marry. Any leftovers should be enjoyed within 5 days or frozen for up to 4 months. Reheat on the stove top or microwave oven after having thawed out in the refrigerator overnight.
Passata di Pomodoro - If you can't find any at your local market you can use a can of San Marzano tomatoes and blend it until super smooth then measure enough for the recipe. You can use more than suggested to your liking.
The Cannellini Beans - if you just can't find any at your market you can swap them with Great Northern or even butter beans.

Nutrition