Zucchini White Bean Soup with Herbs

This is a great summer soup loaded with nutrients, fiber & protein. I love to brown the zucchini first in a skillet to give it a meatier flavor. You can puree it smooth or leave some chunks. It’s a thick soup and very hearty!!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large zucchini, quartered and sliced into 1/4” pieces
• 2 TBL olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 leek, sliced thin (white part only)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 red bliss potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 4-6 cups veggie broth
• 3 cans white beans, drained & rinsed or 5 c. cooked fresh (see below for cooking instructions)
• 1 tsp dried thyme (2 tsp fresh)
• 1 tsp dried crumbled rosemary (2 tsp fresh)
• 1 tsp marjoram
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat 1 TBS of olive oil over medium heat. Saute zucchini until brown.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, heat remaining 1 TBL of olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion, leek, garlic and celery until translucent. Add herbs and stir to combine. Add potato, browned zucchini, beans & and veggie stock. Turn up heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down heat to a simmer and cover pot cooking until potatoes are tender. Add sea salt and pepper and then puree soup using a hand blender or regular blender. If using a regular blender, wait until soup cools before blending. This soup is great if you leave it with some chunks!

COOKING DRIED BEANS

• 1 lb. white beans

Soak beans overnight in a large stock pot. In morning, drain and rinse well. Put back into pot and fill with water covering beans by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil; skim off foam and then lower heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain beans.