Tomato and White Bean Soup With Lots of Garlic

Here’s how you can take this soup from so-so to delicious: To your garlic and oil mixture add your favorite blend of warm spices. I used approximately 1/4 of each of the following: ground coriander, ground fennel, chili flakes and ground sumac, plus lots of black pepper. After the step with the immersion blender, I added about 2Tbs of pepper jelly, 2 Tbs of tomato paste and about a half cup coconut milk (use the rest of the can to drizzle over when serving, in place of cream). Yum!

I used a dash of cinnamon, cayenne, herbes de Provence, oregano, and blended parmesan cheese. Next time I'll cook it with a carrot to balance the tartness (an Italian trick). This time I added some sugar.

In a hurry I dumped two cans of white beans into the tomato depths and followed the recipe exactly (including a massive amount of irregular garlic). When I put the cans in recycling I noticed they were garbanzos, not cannellini (Progresso labels look alike). I enjoyed my hummus-tomato soup immensely.

Using undrained beans gave the dish a salty, funky, unappealing flavor that ruined the soup. I’d recommend that cooks rinse and drain the beans. Very disappointed.

As always, amused by all the additions and changes that "adapt" this recipe into something dramatically different. I was out of all fresh food (because of shopping-laziness) and needed something with vegetables. Had just cooked some giant white beans. Only adaptation I made was putting the peeled garlic cloves -- a whole head's worth -- into a zipper plastic bag A plastic -headed mallet made it easy and fun to smash the cloves into submission. Filling and healthy! (used soy milk to finish.)

Was very good, quick and easy. I used fire roasted crushed canned tomatoes, which gave mine a nice smokey flavor. Agree with the other posters that high quality canned tomatoes is a must here.

I'm inclined to roast a whole head of garlic and add that to this soup.

This was way delish, but required some adaptation. I used 2 cans of beans & 2 of tomato. As I was preparing the garlic (I used regular & black), I had the thought to add tomato paste. I should have. I would have created a richer flavor. But I did add the very last of our basil & 1/4 cup of marsala & parmesan along with the veg broth, 1/2 & 1/2. That created much more depth. I would add another 14-oz can of tomatoes next time to bring the tomato flavor forward. Served w/ parmesan tuiles. Yum.

I make this soup with a chopped carrot, chopped onion, and chopped stalk of celery. I also sauté about a tablespoon of finely minced anchovy and Italian parsley just after the garlic and before I add the tomato. I use either chicken or vegetable broth. Very good.

You cannot go wrong with white beans and garlic. Adding tomatoes and puréeing into a silky bisque is lovely. Use best quality canned tomatoes, season well, add a generous drizzle of cream, and finish with cracked pepper and Maldon sea salt.

Cooked as written. Thought it was great. Kinda funny the recipe asks you to peel the garlic, then smash it. Cut the root end, place flat side of knife on the clove, strike with fist. Viola, garlic smashed and peeled.

A soup even the children enjoyed! Added pesto and lemon at the end. Served with fresh sourdough bread.

Made as directed. I chose the water option instead of broth and added just a bit of heavy cream towards the very end of blending, as suggested at the thinning stage. Served with chunks of French bread for lunch. Later, when I said we were having pizza for dinner, the family said, “Pizza, and more soup!”. A definite hit and no one would ever guess how easy it was to make.

Not a five star soup as written. I followed recipe to the letter and it was bland, with no specific taste coming through. I appreciate the modifications that people add to notes so I know what to try next time. I am thinking I need to just read the notes before making anything, though. I’ve been disappointed a few times when making the original recipe without suggested modifications.

Simmered with Parmesan rinds and added a dash of balsamic and hot sauce when serving.