White Bean Mushroom Bacon Soup is creamy, spicy, rustic soup that is healthy, gluten free and loaded with fiber and protein. Simple and quick to prepare with a robust flavor that is so satisfying on a cold day. Perfect alone or a first course during the holidays.
I bet you know somebody like this. They’re that person who can remember the good and the bad of each and every event that has happened in their life, to the inth detail!
They’re that friend who always remembers and retells silly stories in exact detail from years ago over and over… and over. They tell the story to a group of friends and look at you and say you remember that don’t you?
I typically smile and say yes, but really most of the time…no I don’t. And I’m okay with that. I’m beginning to believe that in some ways not remembering everything in exacting detail is okay.
How could having a crappy memory of all those silly details make me feel lucky? Because I think it gives me freedom to not get stuck in the past so I live in the present.
I don’t dwell on the bad stuff, I work through it and then I put it behind me. What is done is done, I can’t change it so why dwell on it. I try to learn from it and move on. I think that is why I don’t remember a lot of the little details of the past. Really they don’t matter the bigger memories matter, how I felt, who I was with, and what I learned.
This makes me different from that person that lives their life and validates their worth on what they were, not how they are. Because they never move into the present because they can’t get past the bad to realize the good.
Don’t get me wrong I remember the important things, the things that really matter. Not just the good, but the sad and bad memories as well. But the majority of the petty, emotional, bad memories? Well, they tend to roll off my shoulders. I just simply am not going to waste the energy remembering that time somebody gave me that glare or said something hurtful, because I can’t move forward if I spend all my time stuck in the past.
With the holidays ahead of us, we should all look to our future and forgive and forget the past. As my good friend Dee always says, “pray for those that hurt you, not only because they need it, but so do you.”
This White Bean Mushroom soup is a great way to celebrate the present, the holidays and the New Year. It is a simple, wholesome, delicious soup that is filled with fiber, protein.
Great with a salad for a vegetarian dinner, or a first course on Christmas or New Years. I hope you give it a try and if you do snap a photo and share it with me on instagram @ahealthylifeforme or twitter @AHLFM.
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White Bean Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
Soup:
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion {about 1/2 onion}
- 1/2 cup chopped fennel bulb {about 1/2 small bulb}
- 1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 2-15 oz. cans cannellini beans or great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese {you can subsittute with cream cheese or sour cream but I recommend mascarpone}
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 4 oz. sliced mixed mushrooms
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 3 strips of bacon cooked and chopped {optional} {omit for vegetarian & vegan}
- Additional mascarpone cheese {optional}
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until onion starts to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Toss in beans and water, bring to a simmer. Cooking an additional 5 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a blender {be careful blending hot soup in blender it will expand, so let it cool slightly} blend until creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Place soup back in dutch oven if using blender and stir in mascarpone.
Topping:
- While the soup simmers, in a skillet melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and toss in mushrooms.
- Season with salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms stirring occasionally until the are tender, and browned. About 5 minutes. Toss a 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley in with mushrooms.
- Set aside.
- Laddle warm soup in bowl top with mushrooms, extra parsley and a sprinkle of bacon. You can also add a dollop of mascarpone cheese on top.
I adore soup. The mushrooms in this look amazing!
What a wonderful comfort meal! Love how creamy it looks!
Thanks Serene.
Dear Amy, I call my not remembering….repression! Yup, a good thing! As is this gorgeous soup! I love mushrooms and would love a bowl of this for lunch today! xo
Thanks Allie. I will start calling it repression too! 🙂
This soup looks yummy! So creamy!
Thanks Medeja.
Chilly winter nights like we are having call for delicious soup like this!
I agree Tonia. Nothing better than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter night!
I love mushroom soup ! and every time I have had white bean soup I have wanted so badly to enjoy it but it seems bland but I know for a fact you adding bacon would not be the case. I am sooo making a batch of this soon.
The fennel and red pepper flakes give it a real kick too Lauren. Hope you enjoy it!
What a beautiful soup, Amy and so perfect for winter. I agree with your philosophy on life, living in the present is a lot more enjoyable.
Thanks Joanie.
First off, GORGEOUS soup! Totally makes me think of my sister, who, in fact, is kind of like one of those people you mentioned! We were just talking about it last night (except she has the greatest memory of what people say to her about themselves and she can remember them months, or even years, later.)
Thanks Kacey! I have a good friend who is like your sister and the girl remembers EVERYTHING, she wears me out.
love your words here Amy, especially this – “pray for those that hurt you, not only because they need it, but so do you.”
It can be hard to be gentle to those who choose to do things we don’t agree with, but it is true that they are hurting inside. thanks for this reminder to be compassionate.
and a beautiful winter soup too. xo
Thanks Amanda. Living the philosphy of praying for others who hurt you really has helped me heal and move past many things in my life.
I’m loving this flavor combo!
Thank you!