Issue Date: March 11, 2007
Super-fast bean soups
Start with canned beans and a blender, and a healthy, hearty meal is just minutes away.
Prepared salsa and marinara sauce, fragrant spices and fresh herbs give the bland beans some real kick.
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I can't remember the last time I made a pot of soup with dried beans. Because canned beans are so good, why bother? Just open, drain and dump. When making soup, I don't even rinse beans under running water, as many recipes instruct you to do, because I think it robs the beans of some of their flavor.
The three soups here are practically instant. Add all the ingredients to a blender and purée. Transfer the purée to a saucepan to heat through, then garnish (or not) as suggested. The process should take you a mere 15 minutes from start to finish.
Prepared salsas and pasta sauce, fresh herbs and the judicious use of spices all punch up the flavor of the bland beans. The combination of coconut milk, tomato salsa, apple juice and Indian spices in the chickpea soup may seem a little bizarre, but the flavors meld together amazingly well. With soups this good and quick, why not always keep beans on your grocery list?
Pam Anderson is the author of four cookbooks. Her latest is "Perfect Recipes for Having People Over" (Houghton Mifflin, $35).
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White Bean Soup with Rosemary, Basil and Quick Garlic Croutons
2 16-ounce cans white beans, such as cannellini, drained
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup of your favorite marinara pasta sauce
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Garnish: Quick Garlic Croutons (see recipe below)
Purée all ingredients except garnish in a blender until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered and stirring frequently, to blend flavors, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve, garnishing with croutons.
Serves 4
Per serving, without croutons: 238 calories, 42g carbohydrates, 11g protein, 2g fat (0.3g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 10g fiber, 807mg sodium
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Quick Garlic Croutons
1 cup 1/2-inch bread cubes from good-quality French or Italian loaf
2 tsps. olive oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Heat an 8-inch skillet over low heat while preparing bread. A minute before you are ready to cook, increase heat to medium. Toss bread in a bowl with oil, garlic powder and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crisp, 7 minutes.
Makes 3/4 cup
Per serving: 44 calories, 5g carbohydrates, 1g protein, 3g fat (0.4g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 0g fiber, 60mg sodium
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Black Bean Soup with Salsa Verde
2 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup prepared salsa verde (or less, if you want the soup less spicy)
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves, plus extra sprigs for garnish (optional)
1 tsp. ground cumin
Garnishes: 1/4 cup crumbled tortilla chips and 1/4 cup sour cream
Purée all ingredients except garnishes in a blender until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered and stirring frequently, to blend flavors, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve, garnishing each portion with 1 Tb. of tortilla chips, 1 Tb. of sour cream and optional cilantro sprigs.
Serves 4
Per serving, with garnishes: 265 calories, 37g carbohydrates, 14g protein, 5g fat (2g saturated), 10mg cholesterol, 12g fiber, 930mg sodium
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Chickpea Soup with Garam Masala and Cilantro
2 16-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1 1/2 tsps. garam masala*
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbs. frozen apple juice concentrate
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
Garnishes: 1/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Purée all ingredients except garnishes in a blender until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered and stirring frequently, to blend flavors, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve, garnishing each portion with 1 Tb. of yogurt and 1 Tb. of green onions.
Serves 4
Per serving, with garnishes: 271 calories, 38g carbohydrates, 12g protein, 8g fat (3g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 7g fiber, 776mg sodium
*Garam masala is a blend of many Indian spices (national brands include McCormick and Spice Islands).
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