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Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe (Hearty Italian)– Grab a thick slice of bread and dip in this easy 30-minute one-pot Italian soup. It is nourishing, satisfying, and packed with delicious and comforting flavors. This recipe is also gluten free! Buon appetito!
Serve with Homemade Crusty Bread.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
- White beans: cannellini beans, navy beans, white kidney beans, great Northern beans, or any white bean from a can or dry beans.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion
- Shallot
- Carrots
- Celery stalks
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Dried rosemary
- Dried thyme
- Dried oregano
- Bay leaves
- Vegetable or homemade chicken broth (find my recipe here: Italian penicillin soup)
- Spinach or kale
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Red Pepper flakes for serving
- Grated parmigiano cheese (optional for serving)
See the recipe card for quantities and printable recipe.
How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, soup pot, or dutch oven pot. Add the chopped onion, shallot, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
Add Garlic and Herbs: Add the minced garlic, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the pot. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add Beans and Broth: Add the drained and rinsed white beans to the pot. Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Blend a Portion of the Soup: Carefully transfer 2 cups of the soup to a high-speed blender (careful not to get the bay leaf). Blend until smooth and creamy.
Combine Blended and Whole Soup: Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the remaining soup. Stir to combine, creating a creamy base while maintaining some texture from the whole beans and vegetables.
Season and Add Greens: Remove the bay leaf and season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the chopped fresh spinach or kale to the pot. Let it simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
Serve: Ladle the big pot of creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup into bowls. If desired, sprinkle grated parmigiano cheese and red pepper flakes on top for added flavor.
Serve the soup with crusty bread, and enjoy!
Even though it takes a little longer than those viral “30 minute recipes”, we still make this soup all the time. I love that it is hearty, healthy, nourishing, and a one-pot meal the whole family eats and enjoys. Grab a large bowl and get cozy; nothing is better than a big pot of soup on the stove!
Substitutions
Vegan Version: Use vegetable broth and skip the Parmesan cheese topping to make the recipe entirely vegan.
Herb Substitutions: To change the flavor profile, experiment with fresh herbs such as oregano, basil, or marjoram.
Variations
Here are a few variations you can try with the Tuscan White Bean Soup recipe:
- Add Meat: For a heartier version, you can add cooked diced chicken, turkey sausage, or crumbled bacon to the soup.
- Spices: Add a pinch of paprika for a hint of heat and smokiness.
- Creamy Addition: Stir in a dollop of dairy-free yogurt or coconut milk at the end for added creaminess.
- Other Vegetables: Add other vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or leeks for additional flavors and textures.
- Grains: Add cooked pasta, quinoa, or rice to the soup to make it heartier.
- Lemon Zest: Add some fresh lemon zest for a burst of citrusy freshness.
- Nuts and Seeds: Garnish with toasted pine nuts, chopped almonds, or pumpkin seeds for added crunch and flavor.
- Fresh Herbs: Finish the soup with a handful of chopped fresh parsley, basil, or chives just before serving for a burst of fresh herb flavor.
- Roasted Garlic: Use roasted garlic instead of raw garlic for a sweeter and milder garlic flavor.
- Pesto Swirl: Top each serving with a swirl of pesto for an extra burst of flavor.
You will also love our Italian sausage soup and instant pot navy bean soup.
Equipment
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How to Store
To store the Tuscan White Bean Soup, allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate the container promptly and consume them within 3-4 days for the best quality.
To freeze, divide the soup into portion-sized containers, leaving some space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if needed, and enjoy the reheated soup.
Top tips
- Use Quality Ingredients: Opt for good-quality olive oil, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs to enhance the taste of the soup.
- Sauté Aromatics Well: Take your time sautéing onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. This foundational step builds depth of flavor in the soup.
- Fresh Greens: Add fresh spinach or kale towards the end of cooking for vibrant color and a burst of nutrients. Don’t overcook to retain their freshness.
- Blending for Creaminess: If using the blending step, blend a small portion of the soup and add it back. This creates a creamy white bean soup base while keeping the overall texture.
- Enjoy with Bread: Serve the soup with crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth.
FAQs
Add the beans after you’ve softened the vegetables. Simmer the beans gently over low to medium heat rather than boiling vigorously. This will help prevent them from becoming overly mushy.
Absolutely! Adding cooked pasta, quinoa, rice, or even farro can make the soup heartier and more filling.
Using dry beans instead of canned beans is a great option. Here’s how to incorporate dry beans into the recipe:
Soaking the Beans: Rinse the dry white beans and soak them in water overnight or for at least 8 hours. This helps to rehydrate the beans and reduce their cooking time.
Cooking the Beans: After soaking, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a pot, cover them with water, and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 1 to 1.5 hours or until the beans are tender. Cooking times can vary, so taste a bean for doneness.
Incorporating into the Recipe: Once your cooked beans are ready, proceed with the recipe as outlined, adding the cooked beans when the recipe indicates adding canned beans.
Remember that using dry beans requires more planning and preparation but can add a deeper flavor and texture to your Tuscan White Bean Soup.
There are multiple beans that are called “white beans”. It depends on where you are in the world which beans people colloquially call white beans. Some popular choices known as white beans are: navy beans (also called pea beans), great northern beans, cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans), and baby lima beans (also called butterbeans).
Though they both have white beans in them, this soup is not the same as Zuppa Toscana. Zuppa Toscana also has zucchini, chili powder, bacon, tomatoes, and Tuscan bread.
More Soup Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
More soup recipes to try: Zuppa Toscana, Classic Minestrone, Lobster Bisque, Autumn Squash Soup, Easy White Chicken Chili, 15 Bean Soup, Pasta e Fagioli, and Ribolita.
What to Serve with Tuscan White Bean Soup
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
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Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce white beans, (cannellini beans or great Northern beans), drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups vegetable , or the broth from this Italian penicillin soup
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Red Pepper flakes for serving
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, soup pot, or dutch oven pot. Add the chopped onion, shallot, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add Garlic and Herbs: Add the minced garlic, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and bay leaf to the pot. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add Beans and Broth: Add the drained and rinsed white beans to the pot. Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Blend a Portion of the Soup: Carefully transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender (careful not to get the bay leaf). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Combine Blended and Whole Soup: Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the remaining soup. Stir to combine, creating a creamy base while maintaining some texture from the whole beans and vegetables.
- Season and Add Greens: Remove the bay leaf and season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the chopped fresh spinach or kale to the pot. Let it simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
- Serve: Ladle the big pot of creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup into bowls. If desired, sprinkle grated parmigiano cheese and red pepper flakes on top for added flavor.
- Serve the soup with crusty bread, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use Quality Ingredients: Opt for good-quality olive oil, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs to enhance the taste of the soup.
- Sauté Aromatics Well: Take your time sautéing onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. This foundational step builds depth of flavor in the soup.
- Fresh Greens: Add fresh spinach or kale towards the end of cooking for vibrant color and a burst of nutrients. Don’t overcook to retain their freshness.
- Blending for Creaminess: If using the blending step, blend a small portion of the soup and add it back. This creates a creamy white bean soup base while keeping the overall texture.
- Enjoy with Bread: Serve the soup with crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was so easy and delicious! Wish I had doubled the recipe, it went quickly!
It’s a fan favorite. Yes, it also freezes great for next time!
Soup was delicious, will definitely make again!!
Thank you! It is a classic recipe that is healthy and easy. You can’t go wrong!
Soooo hearty, and delicious 😋 Thank just loved it with bread!!!
Thank you! I am happy you loved this delicious and healthy soup.
Hi Elena, thank you for sharing this recipe, is my go to and is super delicious 😋
You are most welcome. I am happy everyone loved it❤️.