Italian Peasant Soup with Cabbage, Beans & Cheese

Italian Peasant Soup with Cabbage, Beans & Cheese Recipe A well-stocked pantry is a good starting point for making a hearty homemade soup like this one. Just add some fresh vegetables, bread and cheese and you've got dinner (and tomorrow's lunch).


From EatingWell:  Fall 2003, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)

Yield: 8 servings, 1 cup each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 19-ounce or 15-1/2-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
  • 4 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, (1/2 medium head)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 3 14-1/2-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or 5 1/4 cups vegetable broth
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 8 1/2-inch-thick slices day-old whole-wheat country bread
  • 1 cup grated fontina cheese, or 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparation

  1. Mash 1 1/2 cups beans with a fork.
  2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cabbage and minced garlic; cook, stirring often, until the cabbage has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, mashed beans and whole beans; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with pepper.
  3. Shortly before the soup is ready, toast bread lightly and rub with the cut side of the garlic clove (lightly or heavily depending on taste). Divide toast among 8 soup plates. Ladle soup over the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon oil over each serving. Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes
  • Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat on the stovetop.

Nutrition Per serving:

305 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 6 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein; 10 g fiber; 868 mg sodium; 610 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Folate (26% daily value), Vitamin C (22% dv), Potassium (17% dv), Iron (15% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean protein, 1 fat

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