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Serves: 8 |
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4 cups dry white navy beans Water |
Boil and soak method for prepping the beans: Wash the beans and discard any floaters or debris. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with 2” of water. Bring the pot to a gentle boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Cover tightly and let stand at room temperature 6-20 hours.
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Fresh water 2 cans (15 oz) Swansons chicken broth |
Drain the beans, rinse with fresh water and drain again. Add chicken broth or water to cover the beans with 1” of water. Bring just to a boil and cook on med-low for 2-3 hours until the beans are tender. Add additional water if the level falls below the top of the beans. |
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1 medium sweet yellow onion 5 celery stalks with leaves |
Chop the onion and celery. Process in a food processor or blender until very fine. |
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2 Tbsp olive oil ½ cup butter (1 stick) 1 tsp minced garlic 1 Tbsp Italian or 2 tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper |
Place the onion, celery, oil, butter and spices in a small skillet. Stir and sauté over medium heat for 15 minutes. |
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2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste |
Drain off and reserve some of the broth from the beans if the level is above the top of the beans. Add the onion mixture and the tomatoes to the bean pot. Mix well. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Add back the broth or additional water to the desired consistency. |
I have found that the boil and soak method eliminates the digestive problems and gas which many people have with beans. Make sure the beans are done before adding tomatoes to the soup. The acid in tomatoes increases the cooking time of beans.