This escarole and bean soup is creamy, hearty made with the most simple ingredients, perfect meatless dinner for the whole family.
Slight bitterness of escarole leaves pairs perfectly with creaminess of beans, enhanced by notes of garlic, hot pepper, bay leaf and extra virgin olive oil.
Served with grated Parmesan cheese and toasted bread it can't get better than this. Light, creamy and flavorful. Some people like to add soffritto base in the beginning of cooking or enrich it with extra veggies like potatoes or leek and even use homemade meat broth for deeper flavor. You can try that too.
But this authentic poor pan's dish I'm sharing the most simple recipe that you can either build onto or enjoy as it is.
Ingredients
- Escarole - one large head. Alternatively use chicory greens like from the same family such as frisée (curly endive), endive and even radicchio.
- Canellini Beans - ideally if freshly cooked but canned ones also work. A different type of beans also can be used but canellini have the most delicate flavor to pair with escarole. Make sure to reserving bean cooking liquid that is also used in the soup.
- Extra virgin olive oil - elevated the flavor of the whole dish.
- Aromatics - bay leaf, garlic, chili flakes.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
How To Make - Step By Step
- Wash, core and chop escarole head in medium size cubes.
- In a casserole or pot add a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves crushed with a flat knife, a pinch of peperoncino (chili flakes) and bay leaves. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant. Remove the garlic.
- Add escarole and a ladle of bean cooking liquid. Toss quickly until escarole reduces in volume. Add half of the cooked beans.
- Blend the other half with the remaining cooking liquid (3-4 cups) until creamy. Instead of bean cooking liquid feel free to use homemade meat broth that makes even a heartier soup.
NOTE: This step is optional but pureed beans is what makes this soup creamy and light at the same time. - Add blended beans to the pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Adjust for salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and toasted country bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Full Recipe
Escarole and Bean Soup (Creamy, Delicious and Light)
This escarole and bean soup is creamy, hearty made with the most simple ingredients, perfect meatless dinner for the whole family.
SERVINGS: 4
Ingredients
For cooking dry beans (skip if using canned beans)
- 1 ½ cup dry beans or 22 oz canned beans
- 2 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- water
For the soup
- 1 head escarole approx 1 lb
- 3 cups canellini beans , cooked or 22 oz canned beans
- 3 cups meat broth or bean cooking liquid or a mix the two
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- Peperoncino (chili flakes)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
For serving
- Parmesan cheese ,grated
- country bread grilled or toasted
Instructions
Cook the beans (skip this step if using canned beans)
- Start by soaking beans in water for 6-8 hours or better yet overnight.
- When ready to cook, drain the beans from soaking water and transfer them to a pot with fresh water. Water level should be well above the beans. Add bay leaves and salt. Water should be slightly salty.
- Bring beans to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let them simmer for 30-60 minutes. Taste at 30 minute mark and adjust cooking time as needed.
- Check on beans occasionally removing the foam and if needed refilling the pot with more hot water.
- Drain the beans reserving their cooking liquid. Blend half of all the beans with 1 cup of their cooking liquid if you prefer thicker soup. Leave the other half of the beans whole.
Make the soup
- Wash, core and chop escarole head in medium size cubes.
- In a casserole or pot add a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves crushed with a flat knife, a pinch of peperoncino (chili flakes) and bay leaves. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant. Remove the garlic.
- Add escarole and a ladle of bean cooking liquid. Toss quickly until escarole reduces in volume. Add half of the cooked beans. Blend the other half with the remaining cooking liquid (3-4 cups) until creamy. Instead of bean cooking liquid feel free to use homemade meat broth that makes even a heartier soup.Add blended beans to the pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Adjust for salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and toasted country bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 19gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 742mgPotassium: 1719mgFiber: 15gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2817IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 243mgIron: 9mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have a question or want to let me know you loved the recipe?Leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!
Buon Appetito!
Marilyn Tolan says
Re:bread. You bake at 375°and then broil? I really don't understand. Also, do you wilt the escarole in a heated skillet w/EVOO? Sorry I'm confused about those 2 things. TY for a response.
Anonymous says
@Marilyn Tolan, Heat the bread in the oven (a couple of minutes) then broil to toast the bread.
Escarole: slight coat with olive oil and quickly saute for a minute or two