Food Recipes Spring Bean-and-Chard Soup With Toasted Almond Pesto 4.7 (3) 1 Review This swiss chard soup is vegan, but that doesn’t mean that it’s short on flavor. The key to the soup’s rich consistency is using a blend of whole and mashed beans—the mashed ones break down into the broth and thicken it, while the basil-almond pesto adds a pop of flavor on top of each bite of soup. The recipe is pretty flexible—so feel free to make do with what you have on hand. Navy beans or Great Northern beans also work in place of the cannellini, if you can’t find them at the store. Similarly, spinach can sub in for chard. By Adam Hickman Adam Hickman Adam Hickman worked as a recipe developer at Meredith for nearly a decade. During that time, he contributed more than 900 recipes to a range of magazines that included Real Simple, Cooking Light, and nearly a dozen other publications. Highlights: * Prepared recipes for magazine editors and associated dietitians and chefs Appeared in videos for Eating Well, Well Done, Cooking Light, and Extra Crispy * Evaluated and adjusted recipes using ESHA (nutrition analysis software) Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 16, 2018 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio Hands On Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 ½ cups packed fresh basil leaves ¼ cup toasted almonds 1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed ⅔ cup olive oil, divided 2 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 stalks celery, chopped (about ¾ cup) 3 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 15.5-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves chopped (about 3 cups), plus 1 cup finely chopped stems Directions Combine basil, almonds, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, about 5 times. With processor running, drizzle in ½ cup oil; process until smooth. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Cook carrots and celery, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and salt and bring to a simmer. Using a fork, mash 1 can of beans in a bowl. Add mashed beans, whole beans, and chard leaves and stems to Dutch oven. Cook, stirring often, until chard is slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve soup topped with pesto. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 573 Calories 42g Fat 39g Carbs 14g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 573 % Daily Value * Total Fat 42g 54% Saturated Fat 5g 25% Sodium 1011mg 44% Total Carbohydrate 39g 14% Total Sugars 6g Protein 14g 28% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.