Ingredients
- Cannellini beans, 1 lb., rinsed, cooked ’til just soft in water to cover
- Spanish onion, 1 lg.
- Celery, 4-6 stalks
- Carrots, 4-6 lg.
- Summer squash, 2
- Zucchini, 2
- Kale, Lacinato, 4-6 leaves
- Plum Tomatoes, 8, or one 28-oz. can petite diced
- Tomato paste, 3 oz.
- Extra virgin olive oil, 1/4-1/2 cup
- Salt, 1 TB.
- Hot paprika, 1 tsp.
- Garlic, fresh, 1 TB.
- Basil, fresh, 1/2 cup chopped (or to taste)
- Water, 1-2 quarts, as needed for consistency
Instructions
- Rinse and cook the beans in water to cover. Start with 3-4 times the volume of water to beans, bring to boil, turn heat down to simmer, and cook ’til barely soft. Check water to be sure beans remain covered.
- Cover bottom of soup pot with extra virgin olive oil.
- Add minced garlic and chopped onion to oil and sauté briefly.
- Add bias cut celery and carrot to pot and continue to sauté.
- Quarter the zucchini and squash lengthwise, then cut across in 1/2″ slices. Add to pot with other veggies and sauté.
- Add petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste and one quart of water, salt and hot paprika to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cook until veggies are barely al dente.
- Add the chopped kale and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Add beans with their liquid to the soup, and continue to simmer to let flavors blend, adding more water as necessary to bring soup to desired consistency.
- Add basil, check seasoning and adjust … And done!
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