I started making this soup for friends who were ill and having a hard time chewing. It is very easy to swallow, since it is blended after simmering.  Put it in a cup for even easier sipping.  This soup is very satisfying and fulfilling, no matter how it is presented.

Use a large pot for this soup.  I decided to double the recipe so I could give more than 8-10 servings to my son and his family. Plus, I wanted to have some for me, and some to put in the freezer.  When you don’t have time, or just don’t feel like cooking, this soup is great to have stashed away and ready to pull out when you need it.  

Make sure your pot is big enough!

Start with a large pot, enough to hold at least 4 quarts, if you are not making a double recipe.  I needed to switch to my very largest soup pot when I realized my pot was getting full, and I still had not added the beans. The soup pot on the left is my favorite for fall because I often double soup or stew recipes.  And it is pretty enough to serve from. I am sending out a big THANK YOU to my sister-in-law Kathy who gave it to me many years ago!

As many good soups do, this one starts with the triumvirate of onions, carrots, and celery.  Don’t worry about making all of the pieces the same size. That is important when you are roasting vegetables and you want them all to be done at the same time. But a quick rough chop will do for this.  The vegetables will simmer along until they are all very soft. This is not one of those times for al dente veggies.

Just keep an eye on it

If you are like me, other priorities may get in the way of finishing the soup right away. Who can resist Face Time with grandchildren? Or the need to finish some yard work before it gets dark outside? You can keep this on a low simmer and not worry about overcooking the vegetables. You should check occasionally to make sure the pot is not boiling and bubbling away. Otherwise the moisture evaporates and salt from the broth concentrates too much. 

Speaking of salt, I don’t add salt to soup when broth is part of the ingredients. I figure, guests and family can add it if needed, but I just can’t take it away once there is too much salt in that pot.

Blend carefully 

After the vegetables, drained beans and broth have simmered long enough, you can use a stick blender or your regular blender to make it one smooth consistency.  When I make a single batch, I usually use the stick blender because it is quicker and there is less clean up.  But with this monster batch, my little stick blender cried “Uncle”.

If you want to use your blender like I did, take the pot off of the burner and let it cool for about 5-10 minutes.  Start ladling the soup into the blender container until it was half-way full.  Don’t try to fill it up or your blender will pop its top and you could get burned.  Take the center cap out of the middle of the top, replace the top securely and cover the center opening with a folded dish towel.  Blend the soup until smooth and put the pureed soup in a large bowl or another pot.

Luckily, I happened to have the too-small pot nearby, so I just kept pouring in there.  Repeat with all the soup until everything is smooth pour it back into a pot. Return it to the stove top on low and stir in the cheese until completely melted. 

Serve with sour cream, croutons, or a good hearty bread. If you like the looks of that cheddar cheese bread on the plate, come back on Wednesday for the recipe.

CHEDDAR AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup rough-chopped onion
• 1 cup rough-chopped carrots
• 1 cup rough-chopped celery
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 32-ounce cartons Chicken Broth
• 3 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Croutons or bread, optional

Heat olive oil in large pot; add carrots, celery, and onions.  Sauté for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat, or until onions start to soften and turn translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute. 

Pour in the chicken broth and drained beans.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. 

You can use a blender or stick blender to process the soup until smooth.  The regular blender makes the soup smoothest, but does require more work, not to mention more things to clean up. The stick blender results in a bit more texture. Either version is good. 

Put the soup back on the stove on low and add the cheese.  Heat, stirring, until the cheese is completely melted. 

Serve the soup with a dollop of light sour cream or plain yogurt on top and stir it in. Or toss in some croutons or crackers, if desired.