Ingredients:

  • 6 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Place the diced bacon in a cold Dutch oven and turn the heat to medium. Fry until the bacon is crisp and the fat has fully rendered.
  2. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bacon bits and set them aside on a paper towel, leaving the liquid fat in the pot.
  3. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the bacon fat; sauté until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened.
  4. Stir in the garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth, dried thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low.
  6. Stir in the drained white beans. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes.
  7. Remove the bay leaf. Using a potato masher directly in the pot, crush about one-fourth of the beans against the side of the pot and stir vigorously to thicken the broth.
  8. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve topped with the reserved crispy bacon bits.