Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole and White Beans Recipe

Name: Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole and White Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped; 1 small fennel bulb, cored, coarsely chopped; 1 carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving; 3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4' pieces; 1 cup spelt; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 head escarole, leaves torn into bite-size pieces; 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed; Shaved Parmesan (for serving)

Ingredients

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, cored, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 cup spelt
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 head escarole, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
Shaved Parmesan (for serving)

	PREP TIME 20m	COOK TIME 1h10m	TOTAL TIME 1h30m
YIELD 8 servings

Instructions

Pulse onion in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with fennel, carrot, and celery, placing vegetables in bowl with onion.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add spelt and cook, stirring often, until grains are a couple of shades darker, about 3 minutes.
Add onion, fennel, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 6–8 minutes. Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook until paste is slightly darkened, about 1 minute.
Add broth to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until spelt is tender, 60–70 minutes. Stir escarole and beans into soup and cook until escarole is wilted and beans are warmed though, about 4 minutes.
Serve soup drizzled with oil and topped with Parmesan.
DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.