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Yeah, so I went missing for a bit there, again. It’s annoying how life gets in the way of important things like personal grooming and blog posting. But, in what’s now become my classic pattern, I return from a hiatus with soup.
I’m not sure what it is about a bowl of soup that I have a hard time saying no to. There’s the feeling of warmth and comfort that rises with the steam, and I’m a total sucker for a good savory broth. It’s been odd weather around here recently, with ups and downs and windy bits, and this dinner totally hit the spot for us a few nights ago. It checks all of my weekday meal boxes: it’s damn delicious, healthy to boot, kid-friendly, uses a single pot, and is really quick (as soups go) with minimal human intervention needed. And to add to all of these already convincing reasons, it tasted unusually amazing. Neither of us could put a finger on exactly why, but it just seemed weird that such a simple collection of ingredients could come together to taste so addictive. My husband thought it was the parmesan and kale that permeated the broth, I thought it was the lemon and white beans. Try it, and I think you’ll find we’re both right.
Kale and White Bean Soup in Lemon Parmesan Both
Adapted from Flourishing Foodie
1 can white beans, drained (we used great northern beans, but cannelini or navy would work equally well)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp good quality olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into small cubes
5 cups vegetable stock
1 lemon, squeezed
1 cup dry ditalini pasta
3 oz parmesan cheese, grated
3-4 cups kale, chopped
In a large soup pot, on low-medium heat, fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add the carrot and continue to fry for another minute. Add the vegetable stock, juice from one lemon, and beans and simmer for 5-7 minutes to soften the beans.
Add the pasta and parmesan cheese, and continue to simmer until the pasta is al dente, approximately 10 minutes. Add the kale and simmer until tender, and the pasta soft. At this point, you may need to add some boiling water to the soup, as some of the stock may have evaporated (1/2 – 1 cup should be sufficient).
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top, season with salt and pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Note on dried beans: if you have more foresight than I do and care to use dried beans, start with a cup of the dried white beans of your choice. Soak them overnight and drain. Increase the quantity of stock to 8 cups and proceed with the recipe, increasing the simmer time to about 40 minutes after adding in the beans, and before adding the pasta and cheese.