Roasted Fennel and White Bean Soup
Oven-roasted fennel, onions and garlic cloves are combined with white beans in this velvety and hearty soup. A generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a bright and refreshing spark of citrus.
Equipment
- soup pot or stock pot
- blender, food processor or immersion blender
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 fresh fennel bulbs fronds reserved
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and sliced in ⅓” rounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 14.5 ounce can cannellini beans
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 parmesan rind or ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Juice and zest from ½ lemon
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Trim the fennel bulb, reserving the fronds. Cut the bulb and stalks into ⅓” slices and arrange the on a foil or parchment lined rimmed baking sheet along with the sliced onion and the garlic cloves.
- Drizzle the fennel, onion and garlic cloves with the olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and roast just until the vegetables are fork-tender and just starting to brown, about 25 minutes.
- Transfer the fennel and onion to a large soup pot. Peel the garlic and add to the pot. Add the white beans, chicken stock, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. (Or leave the mixture in the pot and blend with an immersion blender.)
- Return the purée to the soup pot, stir in the cream and lemon juice, and warm over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
- Ladle the warm soup into bowls and top with chopped fennel fronds and a grating of lemon zest.