Simple Bean Soup from El Bulli Recipe
This Simple Bean Soup from El Bulli, the world-renowned restaurant, is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring cannellini beans simmered with aromatic herbs, tomato passata, and vegetable stock. Enhanced with a homemade hazelnut picada, this rustic soup boasts deep golden onion sweetness and a creamy texture achieved by blending a portion of the soup. Perfect served with crusty bread, this vegan and wholesome soup makes an ideal meal for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 39 minutes
- Total Time: 54 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 large brown onion (or 2 small), finely chopped (~180g/6oz)
- 1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried)
- 1/4 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried)
- 1 fresh bay leaf (or 1/2 dried)
- 1/3 cup tomato passata
- 4 x 400g (14oz) cans cannellini beans, drained
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped (lightly packed)
- 1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cooking or kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt, adjust to taste)
Picada
- 1/4 cup whole hazelnuts with skin (or almonds)
Instructions
- Saute onion and herbs: Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the minced large garlic clove, finely chopped onion, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes until the onions are a deep golden brown and sweet, releasing rich aromas.
- Cook tomato passata: Add 1/3 cup of tomato passata to the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato transforms from red and watery to a dark brown, thick consistency. This step is crucial to develop depth of flavor.
- Simmer the soup: Stir in the drained cannellini beans followed by the vegetable stock. Adjust the heat to maintain a very gentle bubble and let the soup simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Blend part of the soup: Carefully transfer about 2/3 cup (150ml) of the soup into a jug or container suitable for an immersion blender. Blitz until smooth, then stir the blended mixture back into the pot to thicken the broth and add creaminess.
- Stir in Picada and season: Just before serving, mix in 2 tablespoons of the prepared picada. Taste and adjust salt as needed, since canned beans can vary in salt content.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining picada for added texture and flavor. Serve immediately accompanied by crusty bread such as easy artisan no-yeast bread or French brioche.
- Prepare the Picada – Toast nuts: Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and toast, shaking the skillet frequently, until golden patches appear and a nutty aroma develops.
- Remove skins from hazelnuts: Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a clean tea towel, bundle, and rub vigorously with your hands to remove most of the bitter skin (this step is skipped if using almonds).
- Blend Picada: Roughly chop the hazelnuts and place them in a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender along with the roughly chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Blitz until the mixture achieves a pesto-like texture, not completely smooth. Use as directed in the recipe.
Notes
- Note 1: Tomato passata is pureed tomato without seeds or skin; it provides a rich tomato base.
- Note 2: If using dried cannellini beans instead of canned, soak and cook them thoroughly before adding; adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Use crusty bread to complement the soup’s creamy and hearty texture.
- Picada adds a nutty, herbaceous burst to the soup and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
- Adjust salt to taste since canned beans can vary in sodium content.
Keywords: Simple Bean Soup, El Bulli, Cannellini Bean Soup, Vegan Soup, Picada, Spanish Soup, Healthy Soup, Comfort Food
