Tuscan Tomato White Bean Soup

As Hurricane Matthew was approaching, we put up the hurricane shutters, and hunkered down inside our dark house. It seemed fitting to make a pot of soup, so we did. Because there were some white beans in the freezer to use, this is the recipe I chose.

Tuscan Tomato White Bean Soup

1 cup onions, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 can (28 ounce) tomatoes

3-4 cups cooked white beans

4-5 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

salt to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender. Garnish with croutons and mozarella cheese if desired.

Notes: This was fine, but not quite what we were expecting. I took what was left and used the regular blender to make it super smooth, then added some cream to make a Cream of Tomato Soup. We liked this version better, and it's an acceptable way to use up the dried white beans sitting in food storage.