This past weekend we received our first real snow since we’ve been in South Dakota. It wasn’t outside of the depth we had experienced in NC, but I can’t say we were acclimated to the frigid temps that followed. By Monday night we were really needing to thaw out, and felt a little heavy from indulging over the weekend. Soup was in order. And we just happened to have a few frozen parmesan cheese rinds waiting in the freezer.
Tuscan Style White Bean Cheese Rind Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 c. Vegetable Broth
2 c. Water
2 cans White Beans (Cannelini, Navy, Great Northern)
1 Large Onion, sliced thin
1 Large Carrot, sliced thin
2 Large Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Parmesan Cheese Rinds
1-2 T Italian Seasoning
Pinch Onion Powder
Pinch Savory
Salt & Pepper
Directions
1. Saute onion, carrot and garlic in a small bit of oil over medium heat until they start to soften.
2. Add a few tablespoons of the broth, as well as the seasonings and a little salt and pepper.
3. Once onions are translucent and the carrots are mostly softened, add the remaining broth, water, beans, and cheese rinds. Bring to a boil.
4. Boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring to break up the rinds.
5. Once cheese has melted and incorporated throughout the soup, either transfer part (a cup or two) of the soup to a blender, or use an immersion blender to blend part of the soup, but leaving it chunky overall.
6. Serve (preferably with a delicious piece of dense whole grain bread – bonus points if it’s your husband’s homemade specialty!)
