Hearty Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package dried navy beans
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Pour water over navy beans in a large container to cover by several inches; soak 8 hours to overnight.

Combine soaked beans, chicken broth, water, onion, celery, garlic, and bay leaf in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until beans are almost tender, about 1 hour.

Stir tomato paste and sea salt into bean mixture; simmer soup another 45 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Ladle about half the soup into a large bowl; pour soup into a blender, working in batches, filling blender no more than half full. Hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend until smooth. Pour pureed soup into pot with unblended soup; stir in parsley and adjust salt and pepper to taste.