Recipe: Warm or Cold Tomato and White Bean Soup (food processor)

WARM OR COLD TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

"Fresh herbal overtones lift the flavor of this instant soup. White beans make a creamy base for soups, dips, and sauces."

2 cans (16-ounces each) cannellini (large white beans), drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can stewed low-sodium tomatoes
2 scallions, green parts only, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, parsley, or dill, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons salt-free herb-and-spice seasoning mix, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Reserve half of the beans and place the rest in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients.

Puree until smooth. Transfer to a serving container if serving cold or to a large saucepan if serving hot. Stir in the reserved beans.

Serve at once if you'd like this at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate until chilled if desired. If you'd like to serve this warm, heat slowly in a large saucepan, and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Excerpted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas
Copyright 2001 by Nava Atlas. Excerpted by permission of Broadway, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.