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White Bean Soup (Minestra di Fagioli )

by
Joan Nathan
April 01, 2021
Photo: Justin CovingtonPhoto: Justin Covington

Sometimes the simplest of soups satisfies the most. Chicken soup is, of course, the pinnacle of Jewish comfort food. But it’s not the only option. A seemingly ordinary bean soup also elicits tremendous praise. This is the dish about which Iraqi Jews, Middle Eastern Jews, and Italian Jews like the writer Giorgio Bassani (best known for The Garden of the Finzi-Continis) have waxed nostalgic.

Featured in: Jewish Minestrone

Ingredients

  • 1lb Borlotti beans (also called cranberry beans) or small white beans
  • 1large onion, diced
  • 1clove garlic, chopped
  • 1large carrot, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 1large tomato, several cherry tomatoes, or 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2-4cups vegetable broth (optional)
  • 2cups (7 oz.) uncooked maltagliati, ditalini, or gramigna pasta
  • ½bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into ribbons
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • 2tablespoons chopped parsley
Yield: 6-8 servings

Preparation

  • Step 1

    Soak the beans overnight in cold water in a soup pot. Drain the beans and replace the water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for an hour, skimming off any froth that forms.

  • Step 2

    Drain the water, rinse well, and put the beans back in the pot with 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water by at least 2 inches. Then add the onions, garlic, carrot, and the broth. Bring to a boil again, lower to a simmer, and continue cooking uncovered over a low heat for another hour or until the beans are soft and the flavors blend. Add the tomatoes.

  • Step 3

    When about ready to serve, reheat the soup and add chard to soup to cook for a few minutes. Boil the pasta in boiling salted water. Then drain the pasta and add to the soup.

  • Step 4

    Stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese, then season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with the parsley.

  • Note: You can puree half the beans to make the soup thicker, and add other vegetables to the soup to make it your own.