Nourishing and wonderfully fragrant, this white bean soup with leeks and greens will chase away any chills in the air. Sauteed onions, leeks, and garlic, plus white beans, dark leafy greens and a splash of lemon juice make up this very simple, healthy, and flavorful soup.
In the winter, I love a good soup full of greens to fill me up with powerful vitamins and minerals. There are a lot of germs flying around this area right now (including in my own house!) and I want to make our immune systems as strong as possible. This soup is a delicious step in that direction. The purifying properties of dark leafy greens make me feel like I am taking good care of my body. This delicious soup is also a light soup, so it is perfect if you want a lighter meal, yet still want lots of protein and iron. It goes well with a nice piece of rustic bread too.
The onions, leeks, and garlic are gently sauteed till they are nice and soft and fragrant, and then the broth, beans, greens and lemon juice come in. The soup only takes about forty minutes to make, so it makes a great weeknight meal or a warm, cozy lunch, and it tastes even better the next day. For me, the lemon juice is what really makes this soup. The bright citrus flavor balances the earthy flavors of the other ingredients.
The weather has been unseasonably warm here the past few days, and all the sunshine has gotten me longing for the green of spring. That is probably another reason I had a craving to make a soup with lots of greens in it. We are a long way from spring here in Michigan, and it is actually supposed to snow here tomorrow, but this recent warm-up has been refreshing and energizing. It’s amazing what a few days of sunshine will do for a person!
Getting outdoors has been so pleasant this past week. It’s too early to start working in the garden (though my husband did churn up the soil last weekend), so we did lots of walking/biking on trails along a river near us. Being around water is so soothing and inspiring to me. The river water level is really high right now because of all the rain we got earlier in the winter, so the water is moving quickly, making lots of currents and carrying sticks and leaves along with it. As I was watching the water flow so smoothly and naturally, I felt like I should try to be more like the river. Flowing naturally toward my destination. Not fighting my own inner nature, but going with it. Navigating the rocks and bends in the earth with such natural grace.
This white bean soup with leeks and greens is in that same vein, in that it is natural and pure and nourishing. I hope you all have a great weekend! I will be sharing this recipe over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Anugya @ Indian Curry Shack and Margy @ La Petite Casserole.
White Bean Soup With Leeks And Greens
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (or about 1/2 cup), finely diced
- 2 leeks, washed thoroughly and finely chopped (I used just the white bulb parts, not the leafy parts)
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (or to taste)
- 4 cups of your favorite vegetable broth
- 1 can (14 ounces) of cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
- a couple of big handfuls of dark leafy greens, such as spinach or Swiss chard, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, to taste
- black pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leeks, bay leaf, and salt and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. About a minute before the onions and leeks are soft, add the minced garlic.
Then add the vegetable broth and beans to the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until everything is soft and the flavors are all nice and blended. Discard the bay leaf. With a wooden spoon, carefully smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to give the soup a thicker texture. Add the greens and the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the greens are just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add some black pepper if desired and adjust the salt and lemon juice, if desired. If it is too salty, add some water. Serve warm with some rustic bread, if desired. Enjoy!
Cold, gray skies make me long for soup. Uncertain times and difficult situations make me long for soup. Soup soothes a heart that is in need of comfort. Whether there is turmoil out in the larger world or turmoil in our daily interactions, the act of making soup is an act of positive creation, and a steaming bowl of soup represents the intent of that positive creation.
The richness, the creaminess, offset by the earthy flavor of the broccoli, has such a grounding, calming, and nourishing effect. This recipe is based on one I found in my Hollyhocks & Radishes cookbook by Bonnie Stewart Mickelson. It is quick and easy to make, and tastes great for lunch or as a side dish with a sandwich for a cozy dinner. Broccoli soup is a classic soup that has so many positive associations and memories for me. Sometimes a classic, nostalgic soup is just what a person needs.
Another fun winter trip was to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. My son is a car enthusiast, and so my husband’s brother and his wife, who know their way around Detroit, took us to the auto show and on a tour of part of the city as well. We thoroughly enjoyed this day, and Detroit is a city rich in history and positive aspects. One unexpected bonus of that day was listening to a concert by a jazz band from the Detroit School of Arts. Very inspirational for my kids, who both love music.
It really is a good meal to have right now, in early March, when we are longing for color, but our gardens have not caught up to that longing yet. And though our snow has all melted and it has warmed up some, it is still cold and damp enough outside to appreciate a nice warm bowl of chili.
Speaking of gardens and color, I did see some crocus and daffodil shoots poking up just above the soil in our yard yesterday. Spring is coming, though here in Michigan I’m sure we have some cold days ahead of us before spring really settles in.
For now, it is the perfect time to tromp around in my favorite boots through mud and wet undergrowth, cleaning up the yard or hiking down to the lake. My friend and I came across these beautiful milkweed pods on a walk the other day.
