Escarole & White Bean Soup

From EatingWell: October/November 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) — Subscribe Now!

Don't be afraid of escarole, which looks like slightly frilly romaine lettuce, because it cooks down into a sweet and tender green. If you can't find it, substitute a 10-ounce bag of spinach. Make It a Meal: Warm crusty bread and a green salad make an excellent accompaniment.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Love this soup- I like to cut the beans in half and add some eggplant to the onions/carrots during the saute part. It's definitly worth hunting down the escarole instead of the spinach. "

6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped garlic
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, or 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh basil and oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed
1 head escarole, chopped
1/2 cup freshly shredded hard Italian cheese, such as Parmesan, Romano or Asiago

Preparation

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, tomatoes, celery, carrot, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are beginning to soften and the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in beans and escarole and cook, stirring often, until the escarole is just tender, about 5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Per serving: 281 calories; 13 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 12 g fiber; 759 mg sodium; 908 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (80% daily value), Folate (36% dv), Calcium (25% dv), Potassium (25% dv), Vitamin C (25% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 2 fat (mono)