Fennel, Leek and White Bean Soup with Gremolata
This is a gentle soup recipe to help us all gently ease into spring :) Fennel has such a beautiful, subtle anise flavor that works very well in soups. I love using both fresh fennel and fennel seeds in fennel-forward dishes, since I think they bring very different things to the table. Here, we combine the fennel with white beans and leeks, blending half of the soup to give it a bit of a creamy body.
And since this soup is so uncomplicated, we finish it with gremolata, an Italian condiment, composed only of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. So simple, but it completely elevates the flavor with its brightness.
Fennel, Leek and White Bean Soup with Gremolata
serves 4-6
olive oil
2 leeks, cut into 1/2” chunks (see note)
1 large fennel, bulb cored and cut into 1/2” pieces, stalks thinly sliced, tender greens separated and reserved
sea salt
7 garlic cloves, 6 minced, 1 set aside for the gremolata
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
freshly ground black pepper
chile flakes
1 15 oz/425 g can (1 1/2 cups) cooked white beans
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
Heat a soup pot over medium heat, add enough oil to generously coat the bottom. Add the leeks, fennel (bulb and stalks), and a pinch of salt. Saute for 15 minutes, until the leeks are soft. Add the minced garlic, fennel seeds, black pepper, and chile flakes to taste. Mix around until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the white beans, 6 cups of water, and more salt, to season the soup. Bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the fennel is soft.
Transfer about half of the soup to an upright blender and blend until smooth (or use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup). Return the blended mixture to the pot and let it heat back up, then turn off the heat. Add the vinegar and lemon juice. Taste for salt and pepper, adjust if needed.
Make the gremolata. In a bowl, combine the lemon zest, parsley, and any reserved tender greens from the fennel (chopped). Grate the 1 reserved garlic clove using a microplane grater or any other fine grater, add it to the bowl. Mix to combine. Use the gremolata to garnish the soup.
Note
Leeks can be gritty, which can totally ruin a dish! If you notice grit in your leeks, I recommend soaking them in some water for a few minutes. The grit will wash out and settle to the bottom of your bowl.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
I love a chunky soup with clear broth as much as I love a creamy soup, but I also think the combination of chunky and creamy (like in this recipe) can be great. This trick of blending half of your soup works especially well for very simple soups with modest ingredients. It’s an instant way to add body and textural interest.