Luigi's Bean Soup
Submitted by ibot
Luigi’s bean soup simmers dried navy beans low and slow with tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and olive oil for a rustic Italian one-pot meal. Finished with grated Parmesan.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
60 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
4 hrsLuigi’s bean soup is the kind of slow Sunday cooking that fills the kitchen with the smell of garlic and basil, an honest Italian-style pot of navy beans tenderized over a few patient hours. The technique starts with a quick boil to skim off the foam that makes beans bitter, then a second pot of clean water with chopped tomatoes, scallions, celery, garlic, fresh basil, and a slick of olive oil.
Salt goes in only at the end. Salting too early toughens the bean skins and stretches the cook time. Once the beans are creamy inside, a final rolling boil thickens the broth into something almost stew-like.
Serve hot with a snow of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and cracked black pepper.
Pro Tips
- Skip the soak only if you’ve got time for the full simmer. Quicker results come from a 6 to 8 hour soak first, which drops cooking time to closer to 90 minutes.
- Check the pot every 30 minutes and top up with hot water if the beans peek above the surface. Cold water shocks them.
- For deeper flavor, toss in a Parmesan rind during the simmer and fish it out before serving.
- Crusty bread is essential here for swiping the bowl clean.
Variations
- Swap navy beans for cannellini or borlotti for a creamier, more northern Italian feel.
- Stir in a handful of shredded kale or escarole in the final 10 minutes for a minestrone lean.
- Crisp pancetta or guanciale and crumble on top for a smoky, salty finish.
Ingredients
Directions
You will need a large pot with a lid.
Rinse beans in cold water to clean, then place in large saucepan, cover with 3 to 4 inches of cold water and bring to a boil.
Skim off any foam, drain off water, and cover beans again with cold water to a depth of 3 to 4 inches.
Put back on heat.
As water heats, add tomatoes, scallions, oil, celery, garlic, black pepper, and basil.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer covered for 2 to 3 hours, until beans are cooked and tender.
Check beans every so often to ensure that they aren’t running dry.
Add more water if necessary.
Once beans are cooked, add salt, and bring back to a rolling boil for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken.
Set aside until ready to serve, then reheat, and transfer to serving dish.
Serve hot, topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese and of freshly ground black pepper.
Put out pepper and extra cheese so guests can adjust flavorings as they wish
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