This soup can be made in different ways. I’ve added some extras for spiciness, taste and texture, and color, but you can adjust to your taste. Items and amounts can vary depending on what you have on hand.
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- ¾ cup chopped red or yellow sweet pepper
- 1 tsp – give or take of minced hot pepper (optional)
- 1 cup of chopped shitake mushrooms (fresh or rehydrated)
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 large bunch of Swiss Chard with multi colored stems
- 5 cups of hot water
- 1 ½ tsp veggie bouillon paste or 2 cubes
- 2 15 oz cans of white beans (such as cannellini or navy)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Walnut Parmesan “cheese” (see separate recipe)
Directions:
Chop the stems of the Swiss chard like celery slitting the larger stems in half first. Set aside. Chop the chard leaves coarsely and set aside. Heat half the oil in a skillet on medium. Add the onions and stir a couple of minutes. Add the sweet pepper and stems of the Swiss chard and stir some more. Add the mushrooms and stir off and on for about three minutes. Finally add the garlic and hot pepper if using and stir a minute. Then lower the heat.
In a large pot heat the remaining oil on medium. Pour in the chopped Swiss chard greens and stir until they stop sizzling. Stir in the veggie bouillon, adding a bit of the hot water. Cook another three minutes. Add the contents of the skillet and the hot water. Bring to a boil and simmer about 6-8 minutes. Add the canned beans. Warm through. Taste and add salt and pepper as you like.
Serve in bowls and sprinkle with walnut Parmesan “cheese.” For a fuller meal you can ladle it over some pasta or a slice of crusty bread before adding the “cheese.”
Submitted by:
Janet Heller, March 2017