White Bean Fennel Soup Recipes

CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large sauce pot over medium high heat. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Once oil is hot, add fennel bulb, fresh thyme, and butter. Allow to cook until the fennel begins to turn golden amber brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add white wine and garlic. Add vegetable stock and white beans. Reduce heat and allow soup to come to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve by ladling 5 to 6 ounces of soup into a bowl. Garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. See Cook's Note.

WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat a large pot and using enough olive oil to coat the bottom add the onions, garlic and fennal and saute about 10 minutes.
• Add the beans, stock, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cover.
• Cook until the beans are soft, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
• Add the potataoes and sausages and Tabasco and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and about ready to fall apart.
• Season again with salt and pepper and Tabasco.
• Serve and garnish with either a dab of unsalted butter or fruity, extra virgin olive oil and fennel fronds.

WHITE BEAN FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan (at least 5 quarts), add all ingredients but spinach.
• Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until fennel is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Discard bay leaf.
• Add spinach and cook 3-4 min longer or until spinach is wilted.

CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND FENNEL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the fennel. Cut it in half lengthwise and slice it crosswise, about 1/4-inch thick (reserve about 1/4 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add the sliced fennel, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but still retaining a little bite, about 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour 1 can white beans and its liquid into a blender. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil and purée until smooth. Drain and rinse the remaining can of beans and transfer it to the skillet along with the bean purée. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Mix the panko with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly over the fennel-white bean mixture.
• Bake until bubbly and lightly golden on top, about 15 minutes. Broil until topping is browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes, if desired. Top with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

SLOW-COOKER WHITE BEAN PARMESAN SOUP

Steps:

• Put the soaked, drained beans in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, and season them generously with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan rinds and the wheat berries.
• Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the fennel is softened and the onion is lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the celery and garlic, and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 1 minute. Add the fennel seeds and red pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rosemary and the wine and let the wine bubble until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape the mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the stock, and season it: Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, if you are using low-sodium broth, or 1 teaspoon salt, if using homemade unsalted stock. (Do not add salt now if you are using fully salted broth.) Stir to combine, and cook on low until the wheat berries are tender and the beans are creamy, about 8 to 10 hours. (Taste the beans to make sure they are creamy; they can vary in their cooking time depending on their age.) The soup can hold well on warm for 1 to 2 additional hours.
• Before serving, remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and reserved fennel fronds. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve in bowls topped generously with grated Parmesan.

BRAISED FENNEL AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add fennel and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and edges are brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add beans, stock, chopped oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar and butter; remove from heat. Garnish with oregano leaves.