Rosemary White Bean Soup

Winter really has us craving these hearty soups & we seem to particularly like white bean. This version was quick to put together & cook thanks to canned beans. The flavor was wonderful with the garlic & lots of fresh rosemary. The addition of lemon juice at the end just brighten everything so nicely. Matt thinks this one is good enough to add to the 5 star meal list he is making in his head, this would be a list of our favorite recipes to go to when we are blanking on dinner ideas.


1 T olive oil
3 leeks, white & light green parts sliced & washed
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T chopped fresh rosemary (about 2 springs worth of leaves)
2 14.5 oz cans of white navy beans, drained & rinsed
3 cups chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
salt & pepper
2 t lemon juice
Grated Parmesan


In a soup pot heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the leeks & sauté until starting to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot & garlic & cook for 5 minutes more. Add rosemary, beans & chicken broth. Season with salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Scoop out about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of the beans (yes, you'll get some vegetables mixed in, thats ok,) & a little broth & put in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth & creamy, then return to soup pot. Add in the lemon juice. Season with salt & pepper if needed. Grate Parmesan cheese over each serving.

Serves 4