Spinach, Artichoke and White Bean Soup

Spinach, Artichoke and White Bean Soup

I couldn't decide whether to leave this soup chunky or puree it.  I ended up partially pureeing it using my immersion blender and was happy with that result, but you could definitely go chunky or entirely pureed with this soup based on your preference. Serve this soup with some crusty bread for dunking and additional parmesan for topping.

-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 (15 oz) can artichokes, drained and chopped into a chunky dice
-2 (15 oz) cans white beans, rinsed
-3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
-2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/2 c cream
-zest and juice of 1 lemon
-1/2 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
-4 cups spinach, torn into bite sized pieces

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil and onion, saute until soft, 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, saute an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add artichokes, white beans, broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium low so that the soup is not boiling. Add the cream, lemon juice and zest and parmesan, if using. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until all of the spinach is wilted. Puree if desired or serve as is.