A day like yesterday was perfect for my quick and easy vegetable soup with butter beans and Israeli couscous. A day that’s 40 degrees, cold, rainy, grey, and windy. A day where you want to stay in bed to watch old movies or binge watch something on Netflix. A day that would only be made better with a nice bowl of steamy hot soup. The kind of soup my mother would say that can warm your bones. This is that soup.
It seems I have soup simmering on my stove at least once a week – because I do, reason being I live in Ohio – the home of erratic weather, I can make it last minute and it’s hearty enough to be a complete meal. Keeping with the times, it’s filled with pantry and vegetable staples, and can be made start to finish in less than 45 minutes. I always have carrots (and if lucky like today rainbow colored carrots), celery, and onion on hand which is the best start for any vegetable soup. As for my pantry staples Israeli couscous (aka pearl couscous), butter beans (aka white lima beans) and a variety of lentils are always on hand.
A few months ago I bought a couple of cans of butter beans thanks to Vivian Howard and her show on PBS called A Chef’s Life. She uses them in a variety of ways, even making a veggie burger with them. I was so intrigued I just had to get them. What I didn’t realize is they are the same as the white lima beans which I grew up eating. Who knew? Vivian and my mom both used the dry beans and soaked them overnight. I love the convenience of the canned bean, especially for soup and when you don’t have time to plan ahead. The buttery and creamy white lima beans were a staple in my house growing up and my mom added them to various soups and stews. That could be why I like this soup so much.
http://www.splashofsherri.com/2020/04/29/israeli-salad-with-couscous/As for Israeli couscous, I always have that on hand because I just love it! They are nothing like their more well known couscous cousin which has a more sandy texture – fyi, they are not interchangeable. I use this little pearl shaped pasta it in a variety of side dishes and main dish salads like my Israeli couscous with root vegetables and my newest recipe for Israeli salad couscous. The addition to the soup adds a nice little surprise.
These two simple ingredients took my ordinary vegetable soup to a whole new level and I think you’ll love it! It’s so satisfying and nutritious, making it a perfect meal when you are seeking warmth, comfort and something delicious. This recipe makes 10 to 12 servings. Enjoy!
ingredients
1 large onion diced
6 carrots sliced into rounds – about a heaping 2 cups
6 stalks celery chopped – about a heaping 2 cups
2 containers of vegetable broth
1 – 26 ounce container Pomi chopped tomatoes (or other brand)
1 can of butter beans drained
½ cup dry red lentils (sorted and rinsed)
½ cup dry Israeli couscous
1 cup haricot vert or green beans cut into 1” pieces
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley chopped fine (leaves only/yields approx.. 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Costco or other no-salt seasonings
2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
directions
Heat an 8 quart pot on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and onions. Sauté onion until translucent, about 10 minutes, and then add the celery and carrots. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a light boil. Add the lentils and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. Then add the Israeli couscous and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes add in the haricot vert or green beans. Drain and and add the beans, parsley and other seasonings to the soup. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the green beans are tender.
substitutions:
I’ve become accustomed to adding in swap outs at this time so here goes…If you don’t have lima or butter beans add in a can of cannellini beans or chickpeas. No red lentils, add yellow or green. No vegetable broth, use chicken broth or water. No Israeli couscous you can sub orzo, acini de pepe, or even alphabet pasta. But do not sub regular couscous. You can sub 1 tablespoon of dried parsley for fresh.
