Quick Bean & Bacon Soup (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 2 tbsp olive oil
02 - 7 ounces smoked bacon bits
03 - 1 yellow onion, diced
04 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 large carrots, diced
06 - 3 cans (15 ounce/400 g) cannellini beans, drained, divided
07 - 5 cups chicken broth, divided

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 tsp black pepper
09 - 1 tsp sweet paprika
10 - 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
11 - 1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ For Finishing

13 - 4 ounces pearl couscous
14 - 2 ounces grated Parmesan
15 - 2 tbsp chopped parsley, more for serving

# Instructions:

01 - Chop onion, mince garlic, peel and dice carrots, and chop parsley before starting to cook
02 - Add 1 can of beans to a bowl with 1 cup chicken broth and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Set aside
03 - Heat olive oil over medium in a large pot. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, leaving grease in pot
04 - Add onion, garlic and carrots to pot. Cook for 3 minutes until fragrant and soft
05 - Stir in pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning and tomato paste. Add remaining 2 cans of beans and the pureed beans
06 - Pour in remaining broth, add bay leaf and pearl couscous. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes
07 - Turn off heat, add bacon and Parmesan. Stir until combined. Add black pepper and chopped parsley. Serve immediately

# Notes:

01 - If not serving immediately, cook couscous separately
02 - Soup thickens as it sits
03 - Can substitute cannellini beans with navy or great northern beans

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