Italian Fennel and Garbanzo Bean Soup
Cool, rainy evenings call for a piping-hot bowl of soup. So what's better than an Italian-inspired fennel and garbanzo bean soup? The ground fennel seeds, rosemary, oregano, rind of Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, pancetta, and the pine nut purée enhances the fennel flavor. All that is needed is a slice of hearty whole-grain bread to sop up the broth and complete this evening's dinner. Of course, leftover soup is even better the next day.
8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, small diced (about 1 ⅓ cups)
2 carrots, medium diced (about 2 cups)
4 ounces pancetta or bacon, small diced
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 large fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, core removed, ¼ inch slices (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
A pinch of red pepper flakes
1-inch rind of Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
½ cup grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the onions and carrots. Sauté until soft, about three minutes. Toss in the pancetta, two minced garlic cloves, and the sliced fennel for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the broth, diced tomatoes, salt, ground fennel seed, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cheese rind. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the fennel softens and the flavors merge about thirty minutes. Add the garbanzo beans.
2. While the soup is cooking, purée the pine nuts, one clove of minced garlic, and one tablespoon olive oil in a small food processor or a mortar and pestle.
3. When ready to serve, discard the cheese rind and mix in the pine nut purée. Distribute into eight soup-plate bowls. Top each with one tablespoon of grated cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Italian Fennel and Garbanzo Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, small diced (about 1 ⅓ cups)
- 2 carrots, medium diced (about 2 cups)
- 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, small diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 1 large fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, core removed, ¼ inch slices (about 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
- 1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1-inch rind of Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- ½ cup grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
Instructions
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the onions and carrots. Sauté until soft, about three minutes. Toss in the pancetta, two minced garlic cloves, and the sliced fennel for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the broth, diced tomatoes, salt, ground fennel seed, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cheese rind. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the fennel softens and the flavors merge about thirty minutes. Add the garbanzo beans.
- While the soup is cooking, purée the pine nuts, one clove of minced garlic, and one tablespoon olive oil in a small food processor or a mortar and pestle.
- When ready to serve, discard the cheese rind and mix in the pine nut purée. Distribute into eight soup-plate bowls. Top each with one tablespoon of grated cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
257.17Fat (grams)
17.07Sat. Fat (grams)
4.02Carbs (grams)
18.66Fiber (grams)
5.48Net carbs
13.18Sugar (grams)
5.72Protein (grams)
9.92Sodium (milligrams)
1062.49Cholesterol (grams)
15.98The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.