Hearty White Bean & Millet Soup

This warming soup features a host of veggies, a touch of flavorful white wine and Parmesan cheese, and millet, a whole grain that cooks up quickly and gives the soup a hearty consistency. This recipe comes to us from Maria Tadic, RD, who blogs at Bean A Foodie.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 head roasted garlic, minced
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 15.5 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup millet
• 1 bag baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 6-7 cups vegetable broth (add more or less depending on your desired consistency)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or vegan parmesan cheese)
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add in the carrots, onion and celery and sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften and brown slightly.

Add in the roasted garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.  Add white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon removing any browned bits.  Cook for 3-5 minutes or until wine has reduced by half.

Add in the all the ingredients from crushed tomatoes to Parmesan cheese.  Bring soup to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer soup on low for 30-45 minutes.

Before you’re ready to serve, stir in the chopped parsley.  Serve hot soup with extra Parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.