Wheat berries and dried white beans are cooked directly within this long-simmering soup, lending body and flavor to the broth. Feel free to substitute other beans for the white beans—heirloom varieties work especially well.
YIELD: SERVES 4
½ cup dried white beans
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium leek, white and light-green parts sliced (1 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped (½ cup)
1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped (⅓ cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1 14.5-oz. can diced, no-salt tomatoes with liquid
½ cup wheat berries
2 sprigs fresh sage, optional
2 cups Swiss chard greens, sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Soak white beans in medium bowl of cold water overnight. Drain, and set aside.
- Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, and celery, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables are brown around edges. Add garlic and smoked paprika, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth or water, tomatoes, wheat berries, soaked beans, and sage, if using.
- Bring to a boil, cover pan almost completely, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 1 hour, or until wheat berries and beans are tender, adding stock or water if soup becomes too thick. Stir in chard and parsley, and cook 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
VEGAN
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 297
Protein: 11 g
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 47 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 254 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 8 g
