Eponymously named and famed for being served in the navy, these white flat beans are also known as pea or Boston beans. There are four major types of white beans: navy, great northern, cannellini, and lima. They vary in size and thickness of skin and of course some have dedicated fan followings. However, they are interchangeable, especially when used in soups and purées. Beans are ubiquitous in India, and the Western regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat are where the die hard fans of vaal, dalimbi, and birdya reside. These regional varieties are broadly referred to as butter beans because they are really buttery in texture when cooked and mashed. The flavor of all these white beans, I would say is earthy and ever so slightly bitter.

Italian white bean soup, Tuscan white bean soup, cannellini bean soup, mediterranean white bean soup…are you sensing a theme here? These beans are made for soups and evidently there are many versions of this heartwarming and nutritious one pot meal peppered around the globe. Since I was using canned beans I stuck to a basic and simple recipe with carrots, onions and spinach teamed with some marinara sauce from a jar.

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Step by Step

1. 1 cup carrots, washed, peeled and sliced. The slices should not be too thin, about 1/2 cm each. I have used multicolored carrots in purple, white and orange.
2. 1/2 cup chopped onions
3. 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot
5. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for a few seconds till it releases its divine aroma and turns slightly golden.
6. Then add the onions and sauté till transparent.
7. Add the chopped carrots and sauté (you can add 1/4 cup chopped fresh green beans and 1/4 cup chopped potatoes too).
8. You also transfer everything to a slow cooker at this step if you want the soup to cook slowly for 2-3 hours before eating it. I usually do that so I can have a hot meal ready after work.

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9. Then add
   • 1 can of cooked navy beans and 3 cups of water.
   • 1 cup marinara or red pasta sauce (store bought).
   • 1 cup spinach leaves, roughly chopped (you can add kale leaves instead of spinach or use a combination of spinach and kale).
   • 1.5 tsp salt
   • 1 tsp pepper
   • 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil, etc.)
   • 1 tsp crushed red chili flakes
10. Stir and cover the slow cooker, set on low and let the soup simmer slowly till ready to serve (at least 2 hours).
11. If you are not using a slow cooker, cover the pot and allow the soup to come to a boil on medium heat, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes till the veggies become soft.
12. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
13. Serve hot with any crusty bread or crackers.