Creamy Lima Bean Soup

I have a big jar of dry Lima beans in my pantry, also known as butter beans, but I never know what to do with them until I discovered this recipe.   It may not be the most glamorous sounding soup but it is packed with fiber and protein and surprisingly low in calories.  Very soothing to the soul.

Creamy Lima Bean Soup

Dining With Friends Cook Book

1 1/2      cups dry lima beans, thoroughly washed

6            cups vegetable broth

              Sesame oil

2            cups finely diced onions

1            cup peeled and coarsely grated carrots

2            tablespoons chopped garlic

2            tablespoons olive oil

1/4         teaspoons olive oil

1/4         teaspoon ground pepper

1/2         cup finely diced green bell pepper

1            tablespoon seal salt or less

1/4         teaspoon ground coriander

              Finely shredded scallions for garnish

To prepare the beans, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large saucepan and add the beans.  Immediately remove from the heat, let the mixture cool and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  ***I put the beans and broth in my crock pot for a bit so I had to cook less the next day.

Cook the beans in the soaking broth covered over medium heat about 1 1/2 hours,  until tender (since I precooked in crock pot, I didn’t have to cook on stove for that long).

To make the soup, sauté the onions, carrots, and garlic in a 2-quart saucepan with the olive oil and pepper over medium heat until the onions are translucent.  Add a few drops of sesame oil.

In a blender, puree 2 cups of cooked lima beans with 2 cups of the soup’s broth.  Add this puree to the sautéed vegetables.  Add the remaining cup of cooked lima beans, keeping them whole.  Then add the bell peppers, salt and coriander to the bean mixture and cook for a few minutes to blend the spices.

Serve with a garnish of finely shredded scallions.