Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dried Great Northern or Cannellini beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cups carrots, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Sort through the dried beans to remove any small stones or shriveled peas, then rinse them thoroughly under cold water using a fine-mesh strainer.
  2. Dice the yellow onion, carrots, and celery into uniform pieces.
  3. Combine the rinsed beans, diced vegetables, minced garlic, vegetable broth, bay leaves, dried thyme, and black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  4. Secure the lid and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours, until the beans are tender enough to be crushed easily between two fingers.
  5. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
  6. Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup 3-4 times to release natural starches and create a creamy texture while keeping most beans whole.
  7. Stir in the kosher salt, fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
  8. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil just before serving.