serves 6
- 2 Tbs olive oil, divided
- 2 heads garlic, cloves separated, smacked, and peeled
- 9 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 6-8 fresh sage leaves
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 10 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns
- 6 packed cups fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 medium tomato, chopped (or about 1 cup purchased chopped tomatoes)
- 1 1/2 c cooked white beans, such as Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini
- 1/2 c small dried pasta (elbows, small shells, ditalini, etc)
- 6 drops hot pepper sauce
- 6 lemon wedges
- Croutons for garnish (optional)
- Freshly grated Parmesan chceese for garnish (optional)
Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Sear the garlic cloves for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add the water, bay, sage, thyme, parsley, cloves, salt and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 45-60 minutes.
Place a sieve over a large bowl. Carefully pour the garlic broth through the sieve. Lift the sieve and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbs olive oil in the stockpot over medium high heat. Remove 6 of the tender garlic cloves from the sieve and mash them into the warm oil with the back of a spoon. Stir in the tomatoes. Mix well. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring often.
Pour the garlic broth into the tomato and garlic mixture. Mix well. Bring to a low boil. Stir in the spinach, beans, and pasta. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the spinach is wilted. Season with hot sauce.
Serve with lemon wedges. Top with croutons and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Original Spinach, Bean and Garlic Soup blog post
