Israeli Bean Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 cups small beans (navy beans, etc)
• 6 cups cold water, for soaking the beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 6 1/2 cups water
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 -2 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt and pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Recipe

• 1 soak beans overnight. drain and rinse well.
• 2 heat oil in a large heavy bottomed soup pot and saute onion and celery for five minutes until golden.
• 3 add carrots and garlic and saute for another five minutes. add water, beans, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme and cumin.
• 4 bring to a boil, and then reduce to simmer for 1 hour.
• 5 add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
• 6 cook 1/2 hour longer, until beans are tender.
• 7 add cilantro.
• 8 if soup is too thick thin with a little bit of water.
• 9 time given does not include overnight soaking.