Judy's White Bean Soup with Chilli Oil
This British vegetarian soup features creamy butter beans as its hearty base. The beans are soaked, skinned, and simmered with a classic soffritto of onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. After blending to a smooth consistency, the soup is finished with a vibrant drizzle of chilli oil, which cuts through the richness perfectly. It's a satisfying and flavourful dish ideal for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 500g dried butter bean
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1medium onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 1.4l hot vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme plus extra
- chilli oil, for drizzling
Method
- Place the 500g of dried butter beans into a large bowl and submerge them in ample cold water, allowing space for expansion. Leave them to soak overnight.
- Drain the soaked beans. Remove and discard the skins by squeezing each bean between your fingers. This task requires patience but improves the texture. Transfer the beans to a colander, rinse them, and drain off any extra water.
- Warm 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan. Cook the chopped onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped carrots and celery and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. Introduce the beans, 1.4l of hot vegetable stock, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs, seasoning with pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Skim off any foam and cook until the beans are tender. Let it cool for 10 minutes, remove the herbs, then blend the soup in a food processor until completely smooth, working in batches if needed.
- Pour the blended soup back into the cleaned pan and heat until boiling. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Ladle into bowls and finish each serving with a drizzle of chilli oil and a few fresh thyme leaves.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories319 kcal
Fat7 g
Saturates1 g
Carbs49 g
Fibre15 g
Protein18 g
Sodium356 mg
Recipe details
Skill levelEasy
CategorySoup
Cuisinebritish
DietVegetarian
