Hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup 🍲🫘
A cozy, rustic Italian-inspired soup packed with creamy white beans, tender vegetables, savory herbs, and greens in a flavorful broth. Perfect with crusty bread!
🛒 Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chopped kale or baby spinach
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup heavy cream, optional
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
Sauté the vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and herbs: Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Build the soup: Add the broth, white beans, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
Simmer: Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop.
Make it creamy: For a thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon or potato masher and stir them back into the soup.
Add the greens: Stir in the kale or spinach and cook for 3–5 minutes, until tender.
Finish: Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the Parmesan and heavy cream, if using. Add lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley. Serve with warm crusty bread.
⭐ Optional Additions
Italian sausage: Brown ½–1 lb sausage before cooking the vegetables.
Chicken: Add 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
Extra creamy: Blend 1–2 cups of the soup and stir it back into the pot.
Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and skip the Parmesan or use a vegetarian Parmesan.
