HANDS-ON: 25 MIN. // TOTAL: 30 MIN. // SERVES 6
Creating a dairy-free soup that has a truly creamy consistency took several recipe tests. I finally found the trick using a combination of pureed cashews and white beans, ingredients that also make a bowl of soup super filling and satisfying. And even though it contains two cans of beans, the soup truly tastes like a rich tomato soup.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (26.5-ounce) package chopped tomatoes (such as Pomi)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (3-inch) fresh rosemary sprig
6 cups unsalted vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole raw cashews
1/2 cup water
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Heat a large saucepan over medium. Add the oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, rosemary, broth, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
2 Place the cashews and water in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes; drain. Add the cashews to the saucepan.
3 Remove and discard the rosemary. Working in batches, transfer the tomato mixture to a blender. Remove the center piece of the blender lid to allow steam to escape; secure the lid on the blender. Place a clean dish towel over the opening in the lid to avoid splatters and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and stir in the spinach, basil, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook over low, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
(SERVING SIZE: ABOUT 2 CUPS): CALORIES 257; FAT 7G (SAT 1G, UNSAT 5G); PROTEIN 10G; CARB 38G; FIBER 9G; SUGARS 11G (ADDED SUGARS 0G); SODIUM 525MG; CALC 8% DV; POTASSIUM 8% DV
kitchen hack
Normally, cashews are soaked overnight before being blended into nondairy sauces. Microwaving the cashews in water for a few minutes is a genius time-saving hack!