• Cooking Time: 30 min.
• Servings: 8
• Preparation Time: 10 min.
• 2 Tbls. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15 oz.) can of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 1.4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 c. heavy cream
• and (wait for it!) the zest of 1 lemon

1. In a large soup pot, melt butter.
2. Add onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, broth, beans, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and half of rosemary.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 30 minutes.
5. Puree in batches in a food processor or blender (be careful not to fill it more than halfway, since hot liquid expands and will explode all over you and your kitchen, just FYI :)).
6. Return to pot to keep warm and season with salt and pepper ( I doubled the salt and pepper here, it needed it!).
7. (Now I skipped this part since I didn't have any heavy cream, but you can use a dab of sour cream instead!) Whip cream until soft peaks form.
8. Fold in lemon zest and rosemary. Ladle soup into bowls and top with cream.

From Giada De Laurentiis' Giada's Kitchen