Tuscan White Bean Soup

My Tuscan White Bean Soup is a one pot dish loaded with fresh vegetables and tender white beans. This delicious and comforting soup is naturally gluten-free and can easily be made vegan or vegetarian.

This soup is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or weekend lunch. It can be ready in as little as thirty minutes, but I suggest giving it an extra 15-20 minutes of cooking time makes all the difference in the world.

And as with any homemade soup, it will always taste better the next day.

If you prefer a thicker or creamy white bean soup, puree half of the beans with a little broth using an immersion blender or food processor. Add the pureed beans with the rest of the beans and you’re soup will be rewarded with a Tuscan white bean soup with a creamy texture.

If you like hearty bean soups make sure to check out my Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup.

Ingredients to make Tuscan White Bean Soup

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Tuscan White Bean Soup. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

• White beans (canned beans are preferred but dry beans can be used)
• White onioon
• Carrots
• Celery
• Baby spinach or Tuscan kale
• Chicken broth or Vegetable broth
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh garlic
• Pecorino Romano cheese or parmesan
• Black pepper
• Table salt
• Italian parsley
• Dried thyme
• Dried oregano

Can I adjust the white bean soup ingredients?

My white bean soup recipe is easily adaptable. You can add additional fresh vegetables, pastina, rice, or if you want to add more protein, add Italian sausage meat, ground beef, or diced chicken to my Tuscan soup.

Adjust the seasonings by adding bay leaves, your favorite fresh herbs, or use a ready made Italian seasoning in place of the oregano and thyme. For a little heat add red pepper flakes.

If you have a parmesan rind or ham bone on hand you can add it to the broth while it simmers. Both will add amazing flavors to the soup.

If you prefer more of a tomato based bean soup, add tomato paste or crushed tomatoes to the pot when you add the broth.

For a vegetarian or vegan version of this hearty soup, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. And for the vegan version use your favorite vegan parmesan cheese.

What type of white bean should I use?

All the types of white beans can be used. It comes down to a personal preference or what’s available at your grocery store.

Cannellini beans are whites beans and they’re the largest type of white beans. Because they have the traditional kidney shape, they may also be called White Kidney Beans. They’re meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, and have a nutty, earthy flavor that makes them a favorite in soups around the world.

You can of course use any bean to make this soup. Pinto beans, black beans, or kidney beans can be used. You can also use a variety of beans to make the recipe.

How to make White Bean Soup

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the carrots and celery, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the carrots and celery have softened.
• Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Increase the temperature to medium-high heat, then add the chicken stock and beans to the soup pot, bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and continue cooking for for 15 minutes. This will give the flavors time to build as the beans become more tender.
• Add the spinach to the soup.
• Mix to combine and continue to simmer until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes

*Make sure to drain and rinse the cans of beans before adding them to the soup.

Serve my Tuscan white bean soup with crusty bread (or homemade croutons), additional grated cheese and black pepper. If you want to kick up the heat, add red pepper flakes.

White bean soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure it’s cooled to room temperature before transferring it to a sealed airtight container. It also freezes well. and can be kept in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months.

This recipe can easily be made in an instant pot or slow cooker. Follow your normal procedures for making soups.

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