Cauliflower-White Bean Soup with Pancetta

If you’re looking for your next BFF soup, this might be it. Luxurious, always interesting, filling, healthy, and easy on your wallet, this whole meal deal is quickly into the pot and then into your dinner bowl. While the garnish is pretty pancetta (or bacon), it’s easy to skip the meat along with the chicken broth and make this vegan. Croutons might replace the cooked pancetta as a garnish in the vegan soup. See ingredients in italics for vegan version.

6 servings

Ingredients

2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) pancetta, cut into very small dice (omit for vegan version/can make croutons instead)
1 EACH, cut into small dice: medium yellow onion, small carrot, small stalk celery, plump clove garlic
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
½ cup dry white wine or broth or water
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
A shake or two of Tabasco or other hot sauce
6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 ½ pounds or a medium head of cauliflower
1 ½ - 2 cups cooked white beans (A 15-ounce can of beans=1 ½ cups)
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1- inch square of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind-optional/omit for vegan version
Fresh chives, minced—for garnish (can sub fresh parsley)

Instructions

Heat oil for a minute over medium-high flame in an 8-quart soup pot; add pancetta. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes or until pancetta is crisp and cooked through. Remove pancetta to a small bowl and reserve, leaving fat in pot. Tip in the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper, and the rosemary. Sauté, stirring, until soft, 5-10 minutes. Pour in the ½ cup wine or broth and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking/stirring 2—3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.
Pour in the 4 cups broth and 1 cup water along with the Tabasco. Cover and raise heat to bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower; cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes and add the beans and parsley. Cook for another 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are very tender. Purée, if you like, (or serve chunky style) in pot using an immersion blender, or carefully in batches using a blender of food processor. Return to pot if needed and taste soup, adding salt and pepper or more Tabasco as necessary. Serve hot garnished with reserved cooked pancetta and chives.
Store for 3-4 days well-covered in the refrigerator or for 4-6 months in the freezer. If reheating, you may need to add a little broth or water as the soup will thicken when chilled.

Notes

NOTES: If you're cooking for one, don't hesitate to make this. Eat a little; freeze a little; share a little ;) It doesn't make that much.