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Zoomed-out, overhead view of a white soup bowl filled with escarole soup, made up of short tube noodles, beans, and greens.

Escarole Soup

easyhealthyrecipes.com/escarole-soup/
This escarole soup recipe is classic, simple, but full of flavor. My favorite way to use fresh escarole, this soup is fortified with Parmesan rind and ditalini pasta- perfect with a crusty baguette!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Recipe makes approximately 4 servings

Equipment Needed

  • large, heavy-bottomed pot (or dutch oven)
  • large wooden spoon

Ingredients Needed

For the Escarole Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
  • 1 1-ounce piece fresh parmesan (or fresh parmesan rind)
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
  • ¾ cup dry ditalini pasta
  • 1 pound escarole (rinsed well, chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • salt (to taste)
  • freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

  • olive oil
  • grated fresh parmesan cheese
  • crusty bread

Instructions

  • Place large pot on stovetop over medium heat. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil across bottom of pot and heat pot until oil is hot and shimmery. Swirl and tilt pot as needed to spread oil across entire surface.
  • When oil is hot, add 3 cloves garlic and stir to incorporate. Sauté, stirring frequently, until garlic is very fragrant, approximately 60 seconds. Be careful not to burn garlic.
  • Once garlic is fragrant, pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and stir, scraping bottom of pot to loosen any garlic that may have stuck.
  • Add 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, 1 1-ounce piece fresh parmesan , 1 pinch red pepper flakes, and ¾ cup dry ditalini pasta. Stir to incorporate, then increase heat under pot to medium-high.
  • Bring broth to rolling boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer broth 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add 1 pound escarole (chopped) and stir to incorporate. Increase heat under pot to medium-high and bring broth to boil, then immediately reduce heat back to low. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and escarole is wilted.
  • When escarole is wilted and pasta is tender, remove pot from heat. Let soup cool slightly, then add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir to incorporate ingredients, then taste and increase salt and/or pepper as desired.
  • Portion soup into serving bowls. If desired, drizzle olive oil over top of each serving and garnish with grated fresh parmesan cheese. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Recipe Notes

  • Leftovers: Refrigerate any leftover escarole soup in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat soup in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave, stirring often until warmed through.

Nutrition Info (Approximate)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 322kcal | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Total Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 1g | Net Carbs: 36g | Vitamin C: 10mg | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 940mg | Potassium: 546mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 4mg