Cannellini Vegetable Soup

This is a classic Cucina Povera recipe that is cooked often with left over vegetables. Each family or region has their own distinctive recipe. Add the ingredients that you prefer to make your own unique recipe for your family. If you like to add pasta, the pasta is usually cooked separately and then added to the soup because it tends to absorb too much of the broth. So it’s added at the end to the soup and warmed for a minute or two so it will absorb the flavor of the rest of the ingredients and broth.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (rinse and strain well)
1 large carrot, cut in ½ inch pieces
2 celery sticks with greens, sliced in ½ inch pieces
1 ripe tomato, diced
3-4 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups chicken or vegetable Broth


Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the diced onion in olive oil for 5-8 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook until soft for about a minute.

2. Add the carrot, celery, tomato, and sage and cook for a minute. Next, add the cannellini beans and the broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Taste and Season with salt and pepper as needed. Simmer for 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

3. Serve with fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil is always a nice finishing touch!