Parmesan and White Bean Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? ›

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? In this recipe, what really thickens up the soup is the 15 oz of white beans that you are mashing and the starches from the potatoes. We aren't using cornstarch or a thickening agent in this recipe, it really doesn't need it!

In a separate bowl, dissolve a teaspoon or two of cornstarch or all-purpose flour in a small amount of cold water. Add the slurry to the bubbling soup. The soup should thicken up.

The rind will become malleable in the heat, but won't completely disintegrate, so be sure to remove it from the pot before serving. For an added bonus, cut the softened cheesy bits into smaller morsels and stir them back into the pot to enjoy as tiny Parmesan rind dumplings.

Just add acid! A small amount of an acidic ingredient like lemon juice added at the end of cooking brightens flavors, especially in long-simmered bean soups or rich meat-based soups. Start with a little bit of acid, taste and adjust, until your soup tastes balanced and bright.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

To thicken the broth in bean soup, you can try the following methods: Mashing a Portion of Beans: Gently mash a portion of the cooked beans against the side of the pot. This releases starches, naturally thickening the broth. Be careful not to overdo it; you still want to maintain the soup's texture.

You could use a hand potato masher, but if you used a hand blender or a regular blender and puree some of the beans and the broth, you will get a creamy liquid that will mix back into your soup and thicken it without changing the flavor at all.

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half.

Flavor your sauces and soups.

Plop the rinds into your next tomato sauce, ragù, or soup and let it simmer. Remove whatever is left of the rind just before serving. It will add a salty flavor and thicken everything up.

How long do you leave Parmesan rind in soup? ›

Add parmesan rind to the stock and simmer for 10 mins.

Parmesan (like Parmeggiano-Reggiano, the cheese it is an imitation of) is a dry cheese that doesn't really melt. Your best bet is to just put a piece of rind into the broth so it can imbue flavor. If you want a melted cheese then you will need to use something with more moisture instead of a hard cheese.

We use ingredients that help ease bean digestion. Onions, garlic and cumin help – but the star ingredient? Apple cider vinegar, which breaks down indigestible sugars to help digestion.

Garlic and onions will bolster the taste of bean soup. Be sure to take a portion of the beans and mash or purée them for extra texture. Aromatics like celery or carrot will add more complex flavor notes. Despite being expensive, both mushrooms and Parmesan cheese will add some real umami (i.e., mouth feel) to the soup.

You can also make a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and about a cup or so of cool water, or some of the bean liquid. If you use the bean liquid, remove it first and set it aside to cool slightly.

Step 2: Thicken the soup.

Sprinkle in flour then cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. The addition of flour to the Ham and Bean Soup will give it a nice velvety texture.

Rice, lentils, and beans release a lot of starch and naturally thicken soups simply from simmering, but you can also mash half the cooked rice/lentils/beans before adding to the soup for a simple way to thicken your dish. Alternatively, blend half or all of the soup for a smoother texture.

To make the “bean slurry,” I blended together about 1/4 cup of drained cannellini beans with 1/4 cup of the bubbling broth. Once smooth, I added the pureed bean mixture back to the soup and with a quick stir, it disappeared into the minestrone, which no longer rested in tomato-tinged water, but a buttery broth.