---

Creamy Idaho® Potato and White Bean Soup

---

This recipe was created by Robin Haas of Cranston, RI and received an Honorable Mention in the IPC’s 2010 Watching Waistlines and Wallets Recipe Contest.

Yield: 6 servings (1 1/3 cups per serving)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups reduced sodium fat free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, and diced
• 15.5-ounce cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, and mashed
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese (1/2 cup)
• 3 whole green onions, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until onions are translucent, stirring frequently. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.
2. Working in batches, pour 1 cup of the hot mixture into a blender, (secure lid tightly by holding down firmly) and puree until smooth. Repeat with remaining soup. Return pureed mixture to Dutch oven, add bell pepper, beans, and black pepper and cook over medium heat, covered, 8 minutes or until bell peppers are tender.
3. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle evenly with the cheese and green onions.

Estimated Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
180 calories, 4.5 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 800 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 8g protein.


Notes From the Test Kitchen: Don’t overlook the delicious flavors of the blue cheese and green onions, they "brighten" the dish.