Tuscan Bean and Tomato Soup

The other day when I made my Reuben Style Roll, I told you I'd share with you all, what I served with it...and here it is!

An Irish soup....full of flavor and nutrients and lots of goodness. And....it's vegetarian.

I found this recipe in the Food Section of the L.A. Times: Bewley's Tuscan bean and tomato soup. It's kinda cool...there's a section called 'Culinary SOS' where readers write in looking for a specific recipe. For this soup, a couple had gone to Ireland and loved the soup that was served at a place called Bewley's. They wrote to the Times looking for the recipe and this was the result. How fun is that?!

Now...the only thing I'd do differently next time is to cook the last of the veggies and the beans a bit longer. I like mine more tender (a lot more tender) and the recipe didn't have them cook long enough to achieve that...at least not on my stove. Of course, I suggest that you test it....taste it....analyze it...and when the texture is to your liking....then it's done.

One last note....I cut this recipe in half!! It makes a ton...feeds 10 - 16 people. And well, I didn't want to make that much. Especially since I didn't know that it would taste so good...and with only 4 of us...(and one Sir Sportsalot not being a big soup fan)...half was plenty. I am going to post the full recipe though. Do with it what you want.

Tuscan Bean and Tomato Soup
Printable Version

1/4 cup butter
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
1 leek, diced
3 onions, diced and divided
8 stalks of celery, diced and divided
1 28oz can of tomatoes
1 lb plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 teaspoon brown sugar or more to taste
1 TB dried oregano
1 TB dried basil
2 quarts vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 carrots, diced
2 bulbs fennel, diced
2 15oz cans cannellini beans, drained

Ready?

In a large, heavy bottom pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the potatoes, leek and all but 2 cups each of the onion and celery. Cook until just tender and the onion begin to color, stirring often. This should take about 15 minutes or less.

Stir in both the canned and plum tomatoes along with the brown sugar....crushing the tomatoes as best you can.

Add in the oregano, basil and vegetable broth, scraping up any bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan loosely....and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the veggies are very tender and the soup begins to thicken.

Remove from heat and with an immersion blender, puree the contents. If you don't have an immersion blender, use your regular blender, in smallish batches....being careful not to over fill the blender which would allow it to "explode" from the heat (not a good thing). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the remaining onions and celery along with the carrots and fennel. Simmer gently until the veggies are nice and tender (to your liking). About 20 - 30 minutes...more if you desire of course.

Add the beans and continue cooking until heated through. If you want the beans to be softer....by all means, simmer some more.

Adjust seasoning to your liking (salt, pepper, brown sugar....whatever).

And there you have a fabulous, hearty, tasty Irish soup.

This is my submission to the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop this week

I hope you take a moment to hop around and see what everyone else made  :)  I'm sure you'll find something that touches your soul and warms your hearth.