Bean Soup with Challah Crouton Recipe | Molly Yeh

Bean Soup topped with Challah Crouton

Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 6 portions, with extras
Nutrition Info Per Portion (1 of 6 servings)
Calories 718
Total Fat 28 g
Saturated Fat 10 g
Carbs 81 g
Fiber 17 g
Sugars 9 g
Protein 40 g
Cholesterol 52 mg
Sodium 2143 mg
Prep + Cook Total: 10 hr 45 min (with soaking)
Hands-On: 45 min

Molly's mother-in-law Roxanne always keeps a batch of this comforting bean soup bubbling on the stovetop or stashed in the freezer. When she fetches Molly and her family from the airport, she hands over a tub for the nourishing ride homepure cozy magic after travel.

Soup Ingredients

1 cup (176 g) dried cannellini beans
1 cup (176 g) dried chickpeas
1 cup (180 g) dried navy beans
cup extra-virgin olive oil, extra for drizzling if you like
2 large carrots (180 g), diced
2 celery stalks (85 g), diced
2 large leeks (350 g), halved lengthwise with white and pale green parts thinly sliced
Kosher salt, as needed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary needles
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
2 quarts cold water
3 fresh bay leaves
3 strips lemon zest, peeled from a lemon with a veggie peeler, plus juice from lemon
1 Parmesan rind (50 g) from a wedge
6 cups (100 g) chopped kale
Flaky sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Challah Crouton Ingredients

6 challah slices (25 g per slice)
2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
4 oz (112 g) Gruyre, coarsely shredded using box grater large holes
cup (20 g) grated Parmesan

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) NEW: Switch to Cook Mode now to prevent screen dimming.

Instructions

Start the soup: In a big bowl, mix the cannellini beans, chickpeas, and navy beans. Cover with water by a few inches. Let soak 8 hours or overnight in the fridge. Then drain and rinse well.
Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, toss in the carrots, celery, and leeks. Sprinkle with a few generous pinches of salt and stir now and then until leeks soften without browning, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in garlic, rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes; cook until aromatic and sizzling, roughly 1 minute. Pour in the broth, water, soaked beans, bay leaves, lemon zest, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook uncovered until all beans soften and soup thickens a bit, around 2 hours or more if necessary.
When beans are soft, sample the broth and adjust salt as desired. Stir in kale and simmer until wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Fish out and discard bay leaves, lemon zest, and any remaining cheese rind.
While soup finishes, prepare the croutons.
For croutons: Position oven racks in middle and upper spots. Heat oven to 400F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
Place challah slices on the lined pan. Bake on middle rack until lightly golden, flipping halfway, about 5 minutes total. Pull from oven, brush tops with melted butter, and set oven to broil. Mix Gruyre and Parmesan in a bowl. Mound cheese fully over each challah top. Broil on upper rack until cheese bubbles and browns, 1-2 minutes based on broiler power.
Divide soup into bowls; add a drizzle of olive oil if you wish, plus flaky salt and black pepper. Crown each bowl with a cheesy challah crouton.
Storage: Store leftovers in fridge up to 3-4 days; thin with a splash of water when reheating since it thickens. Freezes nicely for 3 months.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Imagine a steaming bowl of hearty bean soup, slow-simmered with three kinds of beans for creamy texture, aromatic veggies, fresh herbs, and a Parmesan rind for unbeatable depth. A zesty lemon hit brightens every bite, while kale brings earthy goodness. Then, top it with buttery challah croutons, gooey with Gruyre and Parmesancrunchy, melty perfection that turns soup into a crave-worthy feast. Inspired by family tradition, this easy make-ahead gem is your ticket to cozy nights, packed with protein and fiber for feel-good fuel. Dive in and let the comforting flavors wrap you up!