This hearty white beans and greens soup gives you a whack of midweek nutrition

June 7, 2024

If you want more substance add some small pasta towards the end of the cooking time.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

Cooler weather calls for warming soups, and a perennial combination is that of white beans, cavolo nero and parmesan. I use the rind from a wedge of parmigiano reggiano in the broth, which adds great depth of flavour – I usually keep a stash of them in the freezer. I like the sturdiness of cavolo nero here, but green or savoy cabbage or silverbeet would be lovely, too.

For a more substantial soup, some small pasta like ditalini could be added in the final 10 minutes of cooking: about 100g would be sufficient. The finishing touches of extra virgin olive oil and grated parmigiano reggiano are essential to round off this simple soup.

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 flat-leaf parsley stalks, leaves roughly chopped, stalks reserved
1 fresh bay leaf
pinch chilli flakes
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1.5 litres of vegetable or light chicken stock
1 parmigiano reggiano rind
250g cavolo nero leaves (about 1 bunch)
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
grated parmigiano reggiano, to serve

Method

Step 1
Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a low-medium heat and add the vegetables along with the parsley stalks, bay leaf, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until softened and beginning to colour. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Step 2
Pour in the stock and add the parmigiano reggiano rind. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 25-30 minutes or until slightly reduced and the vegetables are cooked through.
Step 3
Add the cavolo nero leaves and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the beans and parsley leaves and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Remove the parsley stalks, cheese rind and bay leaf. Check for seasoning and serve with plenty of grated parmigiano reggiano and an extra drizzle of olive oil.