Recipe: White Bean Tomato Soup (Fasule)

This hearty and tasty tomato and bean soup recipe is rich in vitamin C. A diet rich in vitamin C is essential to preventing the onset of common cold and flu symptoms, and research has found that it can also reduce the risk of prostate cancer and minimise tumour growth.

Photo: Soup in a red and white bowl.

White bean tomato soup.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups/500g tinned cannellini beans
  • 2 cups/500g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 red capsicum (cut into 2cm pieces)
  • 1/2 green capsicum (cut into 2cm pieces)
  • 1 carrot (cut into 2cm pieces)
  • 3 celery sticks (sliced into 2cm pieces)
  • 1 long red chilli, finely diced
  • 2 medium onions diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 litres water
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
  • Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Optional: top with chilli flakes, for extra kick!

Method

  1. Remove cannellini beans from tin and rinse well under cold water.
  2. Heat olive oil in large stock pot, sauté onion and garlic on medium heat until tender.
  3. Add chopped capsicum, carrot and fresh chilli and cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Add chilli powder and paprika cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant in smell.
  5. Combine chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Bring mixture to the boil over  high heat.
  6. Once boiled reduce to a low simmering heat and allow liquid to reduce down for 30 minutes, to create a nice rich sauce, full of flavour.
  7. Add cannellini beans and chopped celery and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are nicely cooked, yet still holding shape (not going to mush).
  8. Serve tomato soup with a freshly baked loaf of crusty bread and garnish with flat leaf parsley.

Note: This tomato soup is at its best when eaten 1-2 days after making, as the flavours infuse, gaining a more full-bodied taste – Yum!