Simple Bean Soup from El Bulli with Hazelnuts and Herb Picada Recipe
This Simple Bean Soup from El Bulli, one of the world’s greatest restaurants, is a comforting and flavorful vegetarian soup made with cannellini beans, fresh herbs, and a rich tomato base, finished with a nutty picada sauce for extra depth. It’s easy to prepare and perfect served with crusty artisan bread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 39 minutes
- Total Time: 54 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 large brown onion (or 2 small), finely chopped (~180g/6oz)
- 1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried)
- 1/4 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/8 tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf, fresh (or 1/2 dried)
- 1/3 cup tomato passata
- 4 x 400g (14oz) cans cannellini beans, drained
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
Picada
- 1/4 cup whole hazelnuts with skin (or almonds)
Instructions
- Sauté onion and herbs: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, finely chopped onion, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring regularly for 8 minutes, until the onions turn deep golden brown and develop a sweet aroma.
- Cook tomato passata: Add 1/3 cup tomato passata to the pot. Lower the heat and cook gently for another 8 minutes until the tomato thickens from a watery red to a dark brown and very thick consistency, intensifying the flavor base.
- Simmer soup: Stir in the drained cannellini beans followed by 3 cups of vegetable stock. Adjust the heat so the soup simmers gently with the lid off for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the broth to thicken slightly.
- Blend part of the soup: Transfer about 2/3 cup (150ml) of the soup into a container suitable for an immersion blender. Blitz until smooth and then stir this back into the pot to thicken and add creaminess to the broth.
- Prepare picada and stir into soup: Just before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons of the prepared picada into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed since canned beans vary in saltiness.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining picada for contrasting texture and flavor. Serve immediately with crusty artisan bread or French brioche for a perfect accompaniment.
- Prepare picada – Toast nuts: Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the hazelnuts and toast them, shaking the pan regularly, until golden patches appear and they become fragrant.
- Remove hazelnut skins: Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a clean tea towel, bundle it up, and rub vigorously to remove most of the bitter skins. (Skip this step if using almonds.)
- Blend picada: Roughly chop the nuts and combine them with the parsley leaves, medium chopped garlic clove, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt in a jug large enough for your stick blender. Blitz until the mixture resembles a coarse pesto — not completely smooth, retaining some texture.
Notes
- Note 1: Tomato passata is pureed strained tomatoes, readily available in most supermarkets. You can substitute with finely crushed canned tomatoes if needed.
- Note 2: If using dried cannellini beans, soak overnight and cook until tender before using.
- Note 3: The long cooking of tomato passata is key for developing deep, rich flavor.
- Note 4: Adjust salt carefully since canned beans vary widely in sodium content.
- The picada is a classic Catalan sauce that adds rich flavor and texture; feel free to use almonds as a substitute for hazelnuts if preferred.
- Serve with crusty artisan-style bread, no yeast bread, or French brioche for best results.
Keywords: bean soup, cannellini beans, El Bulli recipe, vegetarian soup, Spanish soup, picada sauce, easy bean stew
