White Bean Soup with Bacon and Chives
- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- 5 slices of bacon
- 3 medium leeks, or 2 large leeks, cut in half and sliced into half moons
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 15.8 oz cans Great Northern Beans, drained
- 1 32 oz. box chicken stock
- 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Chives for garnish
- Chop the bacon up into pieces and fry in a large soup pot
- Transfer the bacon onto several layers of paper towels to drain, and pour most of the bacon fat into a cup or bowl (don’t discard, you might need more later)
- Add the leeks, celery, and garlic to the same pot
- If it looks a little dry, you can add back in a little bit of bacon fat
- Saute this mixture until the vegetables have softened and are slightly translucent
- Add the rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a little salt and pepper
- Pour in your chicken stock and beans, add in your bay leaf, and bring to a boil
- Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes
- Remove the pot from the heat, find and discard the bay leaf, and puree the soup using an immersion blender/stick blender (if you don’t have one, you can puree the soup in a food processor or blender in batches)
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add your lemon juice to taste
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and chopped chives
