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Bean Soup With Parsley Salad And Bacon

Ingredients

The soup:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
  • 3 cups dried navy beans, soaked overnight and drained
  • 3 quarts chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

The bacon:

  • 1 pound slab bacon, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices, then across into 1/4-inch-wide strips

The parsley salad:

  • 1 ½ cups Italian parsley, very coarsely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

The croutons:

  • 18 1/4-inch-thick rounds French baguette, about 1 inch in diameter
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

The finishing touches:

  • 1 large head roasted garlic, cloves separated
  • 1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      1029 calories; 52 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 78 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 63 grams protein; 67 milligrams cholesterol; 5070 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Six servings

Preparation

  1. To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the beans are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups of beans and place in a food processor with 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Puree until smooth and stir back into the soup. Add the salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes. Reheat before serving.
  2. To make the condiments, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until well browned, pouring off excess fat as it accumulates in the skillet. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
  3. Toss together the parsley, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Brush the bread rounds with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, place on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 8 minutes. Pile on a plate. Place the bacon, parsley salad, roasted garlic and the Parmesan in separate bowls.
  4. Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Serve, passing the condiments separately.

1 hour 45 minutes

Dining and Cooking