Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
white bean soup Yemenite zhug

White Bean Soup With Zhug

A simple-but-delicious bean soup topped with zingy Yemenite hot sauce.

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the soup:

  • 1 cup dry white/cannellini beans, or 2 (15-oz) cans (about 3 ½-4 cups)
  • oil, as needed
  • 1 large onion, diced small
  • 1 large leek, white part only, diced small
  • 1 carrot, diced small
  • 1 rib of celery, diced small
  • 1 Roma tomato, chopped small (or 1 Tbsp tomato paste)
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and divided
  • 2 large bay leaves, divided
  • 3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
  • 10 cups (2 ½ quarts) chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
  • a spoonful of finely chopped parsley or cilantro stems (leftover from the zhug)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • juice of ½ a lemon, or to taste

For the zhug:

  • 5–10 small jalapeno peppers (5 for mild, 10 for hot), sliced in half and deseeded
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 1 large clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 Tbsp ground cardamom
  • 2 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • ¼ cup oil (a mild neutral oil: sunflower, canola, grapeseed, etc.)

Instructions

  1. If using dry beans: Soak the beans overnight. In a large pot or in an Instapot, cover the dried beans with 3-4 inches of water. Add a large bay leaf and 4 peeled cloves of garlic to the pot. Simmer beans until tender.
  2. To a large pot add a generous drizzle of oil over medium heat, and add the diced onion, leek, carrot and celery. Sauté the vegetables until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the chopped tomato (or tomato paste), 2 peeled garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, thyme and chopped herb stems to the pot. Stir and sauté for another minute.
  3. Add the liquid to the pot; if I’ve made the beans from dried, I like to add a few cups of the bean cooking liquid in addition to broth.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Add the cooked or canned beans to the pot and simmer for another 20-25 minutes. Taste and season as needed. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice.
  6. At this point, you can serve the soup as is. However, I prefer to remove about a third of the soup from the pot. I blend the remaining soup until light and creamy, using an immersion blender. I add the remaining soup back to the pot. This makes the soup satisfyingly smooth, with pops of beans and vegetables.
  7. To make the zhug: To a food processor add the deseeded jalapenos, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cardamom, caraway and salt. Pulse until finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also chop the ingredients finely by hand. Transfer the chopped mixture to a bowl. Add the oil and lemon juice, and stir until combined.
  8. Serve topped zhug to your taste.

Notes

Zhug will last up to 2 weeks in a well-sealed container, or it can be frozen for up to 3 months.

  • Author: Sonya Sanford
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop

Find it online: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/this-white-bean-soup-has-a-secret-israeli-ingredient/