Description

This Simple Bean Soup from the legendary El Bulli restaurant is a comforting, hearty vegetarian soup made with cannellini beans, fragrant herbs, and a rich tomato base, finished with a flavorful hazelnut and parsley picada. Perfect for a nutritious and satisfying meal packed with protein and fiber, this recipe brings out the deep flavors through slow sautéing and simmering, making it a timeless classic.

Ingredients

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Bean Soup

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 large brown onion (or 2 small), finely chopped (~180g/6oz)
1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried thyme)
1/4 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried rosemary)
1 fresh bay leaf (or 1/2 dried)
1/3 cup tomato passata
4 x 400g (14oz) cans cannellini beans, drained
3 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade or low sodium store bought

Picada

1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped and lightly packed
1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup whole hazelnuts, skin on (or almonds)
1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)

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Instructions

Saute onion and herbs: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped onion, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes until the onions turn a deep golden brown and develop a sweet aroma.
Cook tomato passata: Add the tomato passata to the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 8 minutes until the tomato changes from red and watery to a dark brown and thick consistency, which intensifies the flavor of the soup.
Simmer soup: Stir in the drained cannellini beans followed by the vegetable stock. Adjust the heat so the soup bubbles very gently and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Blitz soup: Transfer about 2/3 cup (150ml) of the soup into a tall container suitable for a stick blender. Puree until smooth, then stir this back into the pot to thicken the broth and add body to the soup.
Stir in Picada: Add 2 tablespoons of the prepared picada to the soup just before serving. Taste the soup and adjust salt if necessary, keeping in mind canned beans vary in salt content.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining picada. Serve immediately, ideally with crusty artisan bread, no-yeast bread, or French brioche.
Prepare Picada – Toast hazelnuts: Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and toast them, shaking the pan regularly, until golden patches appear and the nuts emit a nutty aroma.
Remove most hazelnut skin: Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a clean tea towel, bundle them up, and rub vigorously with your hands to remove most of the bitter skin. (Skip this step if using almonds.)
Blitz Picada: Roughly chop the hazelnuts and add to a container with parsley, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Blend with a stick blender until the mixture resembles a pesto but is not completely smooth. Use 2 tablespoons per the soup as directed, reserving the rest for garnishing.

Notes

Passata: Passata is a smooth, pureed, and strained tomato product thicker than canned tomatoes. It is sometimes labeled as Tomato Puree in the US and can be found in most supermarkets.
Beans: While the recipe uses canned cannellini beans for convenience, any white beans such as navy, lima, or butter beans can be used. Other beans like kidney or black beans will alter the broth color.
Dried Beans: To use dried beans, soak 2.5 cups of dried white beans for 5 to 24 hours. Boil then simmer with salt until tender (about 25 minutes for fresh cannellini). Use 7 cups cooked beans equivalent.
Stock: Homemade vegetable stock is recommended for best flavor but low sodium store-bought stock is acceptable.
Salt: Use less salt with canned beans due to their salt content. Adjust seasoning toward the end to taste.
Clam Version: The original El Bulli recipe includes clams. Soak them for 1 hour, then add 5 minutes before the soup finishes. Mussels can substitute if clams are unavailable.
Storage: Soup keeps up to 4 days; picada loses color when mixed in but remains tasty. Fresh picada topping should be used within 2 days due to raw garlic.
Nutrition: Recipe serves 4. Beans provide filling protein and fiber for a satisfying meal.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 350ml)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 400mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 1.4g
Unsaturated Fat: 8.6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 39g
Fiber: 10g
Protein: 15g
Cholesterol: 0mg