It’s still rainy and cold in Chicago but I foolishly went for a run on the lake anyway. I came back soaked and freezing and after a serious amount of time snugging under several blankets I emerged with a strong need for soup. Tomato soup is probably the King of soups. This one was very simple; you only need to roughly chop everything since it gets blended up eventually. I didn’t even peel the carrots because my hands were so frozen I couldn’t care enough. The white beans and cashews give it a creaminess without the addition of any dairy which makes this a solid vegan/gf option. If you serve this with a grilled cheese, as you should, that whole vegan/gf thing goes out the window but it definitely makes the whole soup consumption experience that much more warming.
You’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 0.25 cup raw cashews
- 1.5 cups cooked canellini beans, rinsed and drained (1 can)
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- Salt/Pep
To Make:
- Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium low heat. Add onion and pinch of salt/pep and cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots and garlic and cook for 8 minutes (you want carrots to be slightly softened).
- Add tomatoes, breaking up a little with a wooden spoon. Season with salt/pep and cook for 8 minutes.
- Add balsamic vinegar and cook for one minute. Add cashews, half of the white beans, thyme spring and broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove thyme sprigs. Blend soup in blender or with an immersion blender. Add back to pot, season with salt/pep (mine didn’t need any additional seasonings).
- Stir in spinach and white beans and simmer until spinach has wilted. Serve with bread as all soups should be served.
Inspired by LoveandLemons