White Bean Soup with Bacon and Chives

Okay, okay, okay I know. Soup. Hot soup. In August.

In my defense, my original intention for this recipe was a “Chilled White Bean Soup,” but I liked it so much better hot!

I am one of those weird people who eats soup all year round even when its 105 degrees outside.

I definitely prefer fall and winter food to summer food. Summer food is good too (who am I kidding…I love it all), but I find myself making chicken pot pies in the middle of July and hot white bean soup in the beginning of August.

Whoops.

So if you are normal and actually like to eat summer-y food in summer, file this baby away for a few months!

Most people I talk to are super sad summer is flying by so quickly and are trying to fit in as much bright, fresh summer food as they can before September rolls around. I am pretty much the polar opposite.

I am counting down the days until it is officially fall and I can post things like this every day. And this. And this.

Fall is my JAM. I just love it. Love love love love.

I go into Bath and Body Works and hoard the entire store’s worth of “Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin” body wash, lotion, and body spray so that it will last me the entire year.

Think I’m exaggerating? I am literally wearing the body spray right now.

Sure. Judge me if you want. But I smell like a crisp fall day, people.

Jealous? You should be.

What you shouldn’t be jealous of is the fact that I spend like 200 bucks each year on new fall decorations from Hobby Lobby. How many different pumpkins do you need? All of them. The answer is all the pumpkins that the store has in stock (I blame you, Courtney) ((partially)) (((okay fine it’s all my fault))).

I mean commmeeee on…fall is perfect! The changing leaves falling off the trees and covering the grass outside; the crisp, fresh weather; the Pumpkin Spice Lattes (YES); and the cozy, warm fall dishes. Soups…casseroles…pies…anything wholesome and comforting that you can eat while curled up on the couch with a blanket.

Can we talk about the fact that this post totally just got hijacked by my obsession with Fall?

I’ll stop now.

It’s this soup’s fault. It made me crave fall even more so I can post this kind of stuff allday erryday.

So about this soup! It is so yummy, cozy, bright, easy, and perfect.

This comforting pot of goodness starts out with frying several slices of bacon in the soup pot, because any soup that starts off with a base of bacon flavor is an automatic winner #amIright? Then we leave a little bit of that bacon fat in the pot and lightly fry some leeks, celery, and garlic until they are nice and soft and ready to be sprinkled with rosemary and simmered in chicken stock and white beans for fifteen delicious minutes.

After this yummy mixture is pureed, we add some lemon juice. This is a discovery I made recently with soup (this soup to be exact). Something happens when you add lemon to soup…I don’t even know how to explain it, but the lemon brings this note of lightness and brightness (unintentional rhyme) to the dish. You don’t even necessarily have to add enough to taste the lemon. Just a tablespoon or two will do the trick.

Sprinkle some bacon and chives on top and you are ready to go!

It has the same feel as a baked potato soup, but it’s much, much healthier!

So kick that AC down, wrap up in a blanket, pretend the leaves are falling outside, and grab a hot bowl of this goodness!

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*This recipe is gluten free*

If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!