Garbanzo Bean Soup

Garbanzo Bean Soup

This spicy soup is made with canned beans, so that the cooking time is far shorter than if the beans started dry and had to be soaked and cooked. It’s a simple soup that allows the nutty flavor of the beans to emerge.
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 celery rib, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups Vegetable Stock or purchased stock
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
Salt and crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Scrape mixture into the slow cooker.
2. Add stock, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and rosemary to the slow cooker, and stir well. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes, and serve hot, passing Parmesan cheese separately.

Tip:
Garbanzo beans have been part of Mediterranean cuisines since the Bronze Age. In classical Greece they were a staple, and the Roman gourmet Apicius gives several recipes for them. We also know that the Roman armies traveled with them; they have been found at forts in Germany and France.

Variation:
Substitute white beans for the garbanzo beans.

Make Ahead:
The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally.