There are times when the cupboard is all but bare and you need to make dinner.

Either it’s not payday yet or you just don’t have time to get to the store for groceries.

You have people to feed and take out isn’t an option either because of your budget or your diet.

This is one of those dishes you can make pretty quick with just a few staples on hand.

Cannellini Bean Soup

2 cans Cannellini beans (or 2 1/2 cups of dry beans soaked overnight)

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 can diced tomatoes

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 small, thin carrots

4 celery stalks

Chicken, Beef or Vegetable Broth

Salt

Pepper

Italian Seasoning or other seasonings of your choice

Directions:

1. Sautee  onion and garlic. Add celery and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and seasoning and stir occasionally for an additional 3 minutes.

2. Add either the soaked beans or canned beans and simmer until the beans are tender. 30 minutes or so for canned beans or 2 – 2 1/2 hours for dried beans. Add water if needed but the soup should be thick when done.

Easy, quick, healthy and cheap. How can you beat that?

And here are two recipes that go along with Cannellini Bean Soup.

Recipe for Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

Corn Bread