Italian Bean Soup

The Italian Bean Soup is a traditional soup from the cuisine of Italy. This classic soup is considered a part of the essential Mediterranean diet and is made with ingredients that are considered 'healthy' and good for the heart and general well-being. Kidney beans are the most important ingredient in the soup. In Italian cuisine, soups are an important preparation and are much more than an appetizer. These are served as a part of the main course as well and are also a popular snack.

 

The bean soup in particular is considered the perfect meal during the winter months due to its full and rich ingredients. The soup has been an important part of the Italian culinary tradition for a very long time and references to the same have been found in various ancient texts and cookbooks from the Middle Ages.

 

Italian Bean Soup Recipe Overview

Kidney beans, onion, celery, olive oil, water or vegetable stock and tomato are the main ingredients used in hte making of the Italian Bean Soup. Depending upon personal preferences, more vegetables can be added to the dish. Carrot and spinach are probably the most commonly added vegetables. Pasta is another common addition and the type used, depends on choice and can range from spaghetti (most common) to macaroni, fusilli, etc.

 

Although the bean soup is mostly a vegetarian preparation, a few varieties contain meats and seafood. Eggs are also added at times to make the soup thicker and richer.

 

A basic and traditional Italian Bean Soup is a fairly easy preparation and it takes about 30 to 40 minutes to cook a batch of 3-4 servings. The total preparation time, however, largely depends on the ingredients used. A bean soup with Italian sausages, for example, would take longer to cook than a simple version that contains only tomatoes, onions and beans. Similarly, a variant with pasta could take longer to cook as well. The soup was always slow cooked traditionally but in today's times, hot plates and stoves are preferred for faster cooking.

 

To make the soup, the ingredients are all chopped, diced, cleaned, sliced, etc., as required and mixed together with the broth/water and seasoning in a large pot. The contents are then cooked over heat till the soup is done.

 

Italian Bean Soup Trivia

While kidney beans are the beans mostly used in an Italian Bean Soup, some modern day chefs have now started experimenting with other beans as well.