Leek & Lima Bean Soup

Name: Leek & Lima Bean Soup
Prep time: 30

4.3

4.3 out of 5 stars (based on 4 reviews)

30 min prep

8 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

13 ingredients

Simple, easy things are best especially if going through cancer treatment. During treatment, cook and freeze lima beans to use to make deliciously easy soups like this one. Large lima beans are known as ‘gigantes’...

1 cup dried lima beans, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed (see Chef tips)
Water, as needed
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 small onion, chopped
2 large leeks, white parts only, finely diced and rinsed well to remove any grit
3 ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 inch strip of lemon peel
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
Lemon wedges (optional)

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

118 cals

Fat

2 g

Saturated Fat

0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

0 g

Monounsaturated Fat

1 g

Carbohydrates

21 g

Sugar

4 g

Fiber

5 g

Protein

6 g

Sodium

130 mg

Directions

Place the soaked beans in a heavy pot. Cover with water by ½-inch. Add the garlic and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Spoon off the foam that forms on the surface then drizzle the beans with a little olive oil. Turn down the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the beans are just soft, about 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size and age of the beans. Set aside to cool. Discard the bay leaf.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook until the tomato starts to disintegrate, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the beans and their broth plus 1 cup of water. If you prefer a thinner soup, add more water. Mix well and cook until the beans can be easily mashed against the sides of the pan.
Serve with Homemade Croutons, and with wedges of lemon on the side to squeeze into the soup to taste.

Chef Tips

The beans can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.

Canned white beans, cannellini or navy are other options to make this soup. Drain and rinse them well, then in step 2, add them to the leeks and tomatoes with water or stock to cover + 3 smashed and peeled whole cloves of garlic.

Big lima beans have a chunky texture for soups like this. But for smoother soups , baby lima beans or canned beans will do just fine. Blend the soup then sprinkle the individual bowls with the spice/herb mix instead of stirring it in family style. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Peel the tomatoes with a sharp peeler, or drop them into boiling water for a minute, spear them with a fork, and quickly pull the skins off starting from where the fork breaks them.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society