Sorrel & Haricot Soup

This soup brings together two ingredients you don’t see paired often enough: tart, lemony sorrel leaves and creamy haricot beans. The result is something herbaceous and earthy with a bright acidic edge that keeps each spoonful interesting.

The beans soak overnight, then get boiled with a bay leaf and onion until soft. A quick blend gives the soup its thick, velvety base. The sorrel gets a different treatment: softened in margarine, then pushed through a sieve directly into the bean mixture. That extra step removes any stringy bits and creates a smooth, concentrated sorrel flavor throughout.

Soy milk stirred in at the end adds richness without dairy, making this naturally vegan. Heat it gently after adding the soy milk; a hard boil can cause it to separate.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t skip the overnight soak for the haricot beans. It cuts cooking time dramatically and gives a creamier texture when blended
• Push the sorrel firmly through the sieve. You want all that bright green flavor in the soup, not stuck in the strainer
• Heat gently after adding soy milk. Bring it just below a boil to avoid curdling
• Season generously at the end. Beans absorb a lot of salt, so taste and adjust right before serving

Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end if your sorrel is mild and you want more tang
• Stir in baby spinach along with the sorrel for extra green depth
• Use coconut milk instead of soy milk for a richer, slightly tropical twist