Tucson Bean Soup

• total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil

2 shallots, diced

2 carrots, cut into 1/2” pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2” pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp tomato paste

4 cups vegetable broth

2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp each: dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried thyme, salt

2 bay leaves

3 cups chopped kale or spinach

For serving: drizzle of quality finishing oil, fresh grated parmesan, crusty bread

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots, carrots, and celery. Sauté 4-6 minutes, until slightly softened. Add garlic and tomato paste. Sauté 4-6 minutes. Add broth, beans, herbs, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup, leaving some chunks. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender; blend in batches and return to pot). Stir in kale/spinach. Cook 4-6 minutes, until kale/spinach is softened. Taste and add salt if needed.

Serve soup topped with drizzle of oil, fresh grated parmesan, and crusty bread.