Apples in Soup? Yes—APPLES!!

I love the flavors of fall. Root veggies and mushrooms galore, alliums and tubers and brassicas—YUM! Added to my homemade soup stock, fall has never tasted so good. But add perfectly crisp, in-season apples to the mix, and you’re in soup heaven. The apples add a light sweetness and when cooked, they take on a potato-like texture that just melts in your mouth. The added flavor is the perfect complement to earthy flavors of beets, mushrooms, and other autumn produce.

I’ve been warming up (literally!) to harissa this fall. This Tunisian hot chile pepper paste or seasoning—made with red peppers, Baklouti peppers, garlic, caraway, coriander, and cumin—is the easiest way to add tons of amazing flavor with making a dish too hot to handle. It was the perfect all-in-one seasoning in my potful of beans, apples, shiitakes, and kale. The rest is soup history! We ate the entire pot in one night.

Apple and Harissa Bean Veggie Soup

Skyler

This soup combines all the flavors of fall. The apples add a subtle sweetness, the shiitakes and kale add earthiness, and harissa beans give it a spicy kick you'll love. Serve with cheese toasts or crusty bread.

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Course Soup

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can white beans, pinto beans, or black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp. harissa paste or seasoning
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 8 oz shitaki or other mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 5 cups chicken, beef, or veggie stock or broth
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped

Instructions

 

• In large heavy pot heat oil over medium high. Add onion and celery; sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cook stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Add beans and harissa powder; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in butter, mushrooms, and thyme; cook undisturbed until golden and soft. Stir in apples.
• Carefully add broth to pot and gently stir removing any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Stir in kale; simmer, covered, until apples are soft and flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
• Serve soup with crusty bread or cheese toast.

Keyword apple bean soup, bean soup, harissa bean soup, shitaki kale bean soup, Vegetable Soup, vegetarian