WHITE BEAN, BACON AND SPINACH SOUP
(from home4edu’s recipe box)
I have made this without the 2 heads of roasted garlic and without the Parmesan cheese rinds and it was still great! Serving Suggestions: Cornbread Waffles (recipe on here) and/or cottage cheese.
Source: https://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/white-bean-bacon-and-spinach-soup/
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 8 people
Categories: Soup
Ingredients
- 2 small heads garlic
- olive oil
- sea salt and fresh black pepper
- 8 slices bacon (I used thick-cut)
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 3/4 cups carrot, diced
- 3/4 cup celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese rinds, optional
- 4 cups cooked white beans or 2 (14 ounce) cans, drained and rinsed (I used Cannellini)
- 11 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, stems removed
- fresh grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the end off of each garlic bulb so the bulbs are partially exposed. Place them in a small oven-safe baking dish or bowl. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over each and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 35-45 minutes until cloves are completely soft and browned. Bake the bacon at the same time. Spread it out on in a large roasting pan and bake about 15 minutes or until crispy, remove and drain on paper towels.
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When garlic is cooked, remove and allow to cool until you can safely handle it. Squeeze the bulbs out into a bowl and smash them up with a fork.
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Meanwhile in a large soup pot heat a few tablespoons olive oil over medium -low heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often until vegetables start to soften.
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Add chicken broth, tomatoes, beans and garlic puree. Chop 6 slices of the bacon and add that too.
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Bring up to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes (or 45), tasting often and seasoning as needed. Place 2 cups of the soup in blender or food processor and puree until smooth (or use a stick blender and hit it a few times or just a potato masher); add back to soup pot. Stir in spinach leaves. Simmer 5-10 more minutes. Remove Parmesan cheese rinds.
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Serve with Parmesan cheese and the remaining bacon slices crumbled over top.