White Bean and Lamb Soup
Description
This lamb soup features great Northern beans, carrots, and celery in a tomatoey broth, topped with spinach and feta for a complete meal in a bowl.
Ingredients
•
1/2 pound dried great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed
•
3 tablespoons olive oil
•
1 onion, chopped
•
3 cloves garlic, chopped
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1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
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3 carrots, peeled and diced
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3 stalks celery, diced
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1 1/2 cups canned roma tomatoes, with liquid
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1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
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1 teaspoon dried thyme
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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fresh ground black pepper
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salt to taste
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6 cups chicken broth
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1/2 pound baby spinach leaves
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4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
1
Soak dried beans in water, 8 hours to overnight. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
2
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over low heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until just beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium. Add lamb; cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery; cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, then season with parsley, thyme, oregano, pepper, and salt. Add beans and broth. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until beans are tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
3
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté spinach in the hot saucepan until wilted. This will only take a short time, and you will not need to add more liquid to the pan.
4
Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with wilted spinach and feta cheese.