Fresh Shell Bean Soup with Slivers of Italian Bacon

In summer, fresh shell beans make their glorious appearance at the local farmer’s markets all over the Campania region. My favorite are the pretty, pink-and-cream mottled barlotti beans, also known as cranberry beans, but other varieties, such as cannellini beans, are scrumptious summer finds as well.

fresh shell beans

Unlike dried beans, fresh, plump shell beans are quick and easy to make and they don’t have to be soaked overnight to soften them up before you begin the cooking due to their youth and already soft skins.

Whenever I buy fresh shell beans I anticipate the simple pleasure of spending a little time in a pretty setting al fresco in the garden, where the removing of the beans from their pods before I begin the cooking has now become a peaceful, meditative task.

fresh beans

Fresh shell beans are rarely found in supermarkets in the United States, so it is best to seek them out in season at your local farmers’ market. Straight off the vines, they are fresh, plump, and so delicious, definitely worth the effort of seeking them out in my opinion. Yum!

shell beans

This is the traditional recipe for fresh shell bean soup that I prepare at home in Campania. We gobble down bowls of it all through the summer into the fall. It’s delicious; wholesome and healthy tasting, and so easy to put together. I like to use fresh barlotti beans for this, but you can substitute fresh cannelloni beans, which are delicious here too. As long as the beans are plump and fresh, their taste and creamy texture will combine deliciously with the medley of aromatic vegetables and herbs and slivers of Italian bacon mingling in the soup pot.

shell bean soup

For maximum flavor, you can drop a small Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind into the pot to infuse the soup with its delicious cheese flavor as it is bubbling away – a simple addition traditional cooks in Campania typically include when they have a small piece handy.

Serve this fresh shell bean soup hot, with a small slice of grilled crusty rustic bread rubbed with a clove of garlic and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil tucked into the side of the bowl. Plus, naturally, extra slices in a basket to pass at the table.

fresh shell bean soup

Buon appetito (Enjoy your meal)!

Fresh Shell Bean Soup with Slivers of Italian Bacon

Be sure to choose pods that are starting to dry out, which feel heavy and look lumpy, but still have green stems. You should be able to feel the plump, ripe bean inside.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Soups
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 carrot peeled and minced
  • 1 rib celery minced
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 small fresh rosemary sprig about 4-to 5-inches (10-to 13-centimeters) long, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • 3 ounces Italian bacon (pancetta) cut into small strips, about 1/4-inch-thick
  • 2 1/4 pounds fresh cannellini beans or barlotti beans, removed from the pod and rinsed or about 1 pounds (450 grams) shelled fresh beans
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 small Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind optional
  • 5 or 6 cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot over medium-low heat, combine the olive oil, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, rosemary, and pepper flakes and gently sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pancetta and stir occasionally until the vegetables are soft, but not brown, and the pancetta has released its fat, about 5 to 6 minutes longer.
  • Stir in the beans, water, Parmigiano cheese rind, and cherry tomatoes and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and gently simmer until the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes or so, depending on the freshness of the beans. The beans should be covered with the cooking liquid throughout the entire cooking time. If more liquid is needed, add more boiling water, as necessary.
  • Ladle the soup into the bowls and drizzle with a good-quality, hearty extra-virgin olive oil. Serve hot with warm toasted slices of bread tucked into the side of the bowl and grated Parmigiano to pass at the table.