French cuisine · Soups & Stews

White Bean Soup

Creamy stew of white beans with tomato, plenty of garlic and sage, half puréed for body.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g white beans (soaked overnight)
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 400 g tomatoes (canned)
• 8 sage leaves
• 1 carrot
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.2 L water
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the beans soaked overnight, then set them to cook with the water and bay leaf; simmer gently without salt for 45–55 min. until tender.
2. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and carrot, slice the garlic, and roughly tear the sage leaves.
3. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a second pot and sauté the onion and carrot over medium heat for 6–8 min. until soft, adding the garlic for the last 2 min.
4. Add the tomatoes and half the sage and let the sauce reduce uncovered for 10 min. until dark and thick.
5. Add the beans with their cooking water, season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 15 min.; then purée about half and stir it back in so the soup binds creamily.
6. Fry the remaining sage in the rest of the olive oil for 30 sec. until crisp, and serve the soup hot topped with it.