Ingredients
4tbspextra-virgin olive oil,divided
1large yellow onion,finely chopped
2carrots,scrubbed clean, finely chopped
2ribscelery,finely chopped
¾tspfine sea salt,divided
freshly ground black pepper,to taste
4garlic cloves,pressed or minced
15ozcrushed tomatoes,1 can
4cupsvegetable broth
3cupswater
2bay leaves
1tspdried oregano
¼tspred pepper flakes,omit if sensitive to spice
15ozcannellini beans,2 cans, Great Northern beans, or chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked beans
4ozcavatelli,1 cup, ditalini, elbow or small shell pasta of choice
2cupsTuscan kale,chopped, tough ribs removed first, or chard or collard greens
¼cupItalian parsley,finely chopped
1tbspfresh lemon juice,about ½ medium lemon
Preparation
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering.
Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and about 10 twists of black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 6 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook until the tomatoes are bubbling all over. Add the broth, water, bay leaves, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
Use a heat-safe measuring cup to transfer about 1½ cups of the soup (avoiding the bay leaves) to a blender.
Add about ¾ cup of the drained beans. Securely fasten the lid and blend until completely smooth, being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. Pour the blended mixture back into the soup.
Add the remaining beans, pasta, kale and parsley to the simmering soup. Continue cooking, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, for about 20 minutes, or until the pasta and greens are pleasantly tender.
Remove the pot from the heat, then remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Taste and season with more salt (typically another ¼ teaspoon would suffice) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup as desired, and serve.
Leftovers taste even better the next day. Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or, freeze leftover soup in individual portions and defrost as necessary.
