Crockpot Tuscan Bean Soup [recipe re-post]

[Guest guest]

I posted this recipe some time ago and it is filed in the ordinary

soup recipes as Thick Tuscan Bean Soup, although it is a crockpot

recipe. I made this again on Sunday (you can see I'm making up for

lost time with the crockpot) and it is a lovely soup and tastes

different each time I make it.

Christie

 

Thick Tuscan Bean Soup

Serves 4-6

 

225g/8oz dried cannellini or borlotti beans, soaked overnight in

cold water

15ml/1tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 leeks, thinly sliced

2 celery sticks, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

225g/8oz can of chopped tomatoes

900ml/1.5pts vegetable stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 courgette(zucchini) finely diced

1 handful of baby spinach leaves

30ml/2tsp green pesto (I use a vegan pesto)

4 thick slices of Italian bread such as ciabatta

 

Preheat slo-cooker on High.

Drain beans, put in a large pan of cold water, bring to the boil and

boil gently for 10 mins (alternatively use a can of beans which will

not need boiling at this stage.)

 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan and add onions, carrots, leeks

and celery. Cook over a medium heat stirring frequently until just

beginning to brown.

 

Drain the beans and add to the pan with garlic, tomatoes, stock and a

little seasoning. Bring just to the boil and transfer to the

slo-cooker and stir gently.

Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or until the vegetables are very

tender, then stir in the courgette and spinach and cook for a further

30 minutes until soft.

 

Toast the bread until golden brown. Stir the pesto into the soup and

ladle the soup into bowls. Top each with hot toasted bread and

drizzle

with olive oil.

 

The recipe comes from Vegetarian Recipes for your Slo-Cooker by

Annette Yates.

I halve the amounts which lasts me for 3 meals. I used tinned

cannellini beans and didn't bother with the bread but sprinkled it

with freshly grated parmegiano regiano.