This soup is comprised of only two components: tender, creamy beans and a broth perfumed with garlic and rosemary. We tossed out the rules about how to prepare dried beans for this recipe. First, we
skipped the presoak (soaked beans exploded once cooked), instead simmering them right in what would become the broth for our soup. We cooked them until just barely done and let residual heat gently cook them through to ensure even cooking. We also added salt to the pot, something typically thought to cause the beans’ exteriors to toughen. We felt the salt actually helped keep the beans from bursting, and it also seasoned them nicely. Adding onion, garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta to our cooking broth gave the beans a welcome depth of flavor. We liked the large size of cannellini beans. For a more authentic soup, place a small slice of lightly toasted Italian bread in the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup over the bread. To make this soup vegetarian, omit the pancetta and add a piece of vegetarian Parmesan cheese rind to the pot along with the halved onion and unpeeled garlic in step 1. We do not recommend freezing this soup as the beans become unappealingly mushy.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces pancetta, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 cups water, plus extra as needed
- 1 pound (2½ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
- 1 large onion, unpeeled and halved, plus 1 small onion, chopped
- 7 garlic cloves (4 unpeeled, 3 minced)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Balsamic vinegar
- Cook pancetta in Dutch oven over medium heat until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add water, beans, halved onion, unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are almost tender, 1 to 1¼ hours. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand until beans are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Drain beans in colander set over medium bowl, reserving cooking liquid (you should have about 5 cups; if not, add enough water to reach 5 cups). Discard pancetta, onion, unpeeled garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Spread beans in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
- While beans are cooling, heat oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooled beans and reserved cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer.
- Submerge rosemary in liquid, cover, and let stand off heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Discard rosemary sprig and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with extra oil, and serve, passing vinegar separately.
