Tuscan White Bean Soup
This delicious Tuscan white bean soup is cozy, flavorful, and loaded with plant-based protein. The leafy green veggies, tasty broth, and sweet Italian soffritto combine to make a foolproof soup that’s perfect for winter!
Servings: 4
Calories: 344kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion - white or red - thinly chopped
- 4 fresh sage leaves - see note 1
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 large carrots - diced
- 1 celery stalk - diced
- 3 cans (15oz each) cannellini beans - drained and rinsed (note 2)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary - see note 1
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth - note 3 1 liter
- 2 cups cavolo nero or kale - chopped thick stalks removed, you can also use spinach or swiss chard
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sage leaves. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion is tender and translucent. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute.
- Add the chopped carrot and celery and cook for another 5 minutes. This will help to develop the typical flavor of an Italian soffritto.
- Drain and rinse your cannellini beans well; add them to the pot with 4 cups of vegetable broth and the rosemary sprigs. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Discard the rosemary sprigs, transfer half of the soup to a high-speed blender, and blend until creamy and smooth.
- Mix the blended soup with the rest of the soup in the pot, and if needed, add more broth.
- Add the cavolo nero and simmer on low heat for another 5-8 minutes until the kale wilt and becomes tender (see note 2).
- If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more broth to thin it down. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the heat, add the chopped parsley, mix well, and serve hot with some crusty bread. If you like a bit of heat, sprinkle some chili flakes on top.
Notes
Note 1 - Herbs: You can use ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning instead of fresh herbs. But I find that fresh herbs bring out a much more authentic flavor.
Note 2 - Beans: Cannellini beans are the original ingredient used in Tuscan White Bean Soup. But if you can’t find them, you can substitute them for white kidney beans, navy beans, or butter beans. You can also use 1 ½ cup of dried cannellini beans instead of canned. Make sure to cook them throughout before using them in the recipe.
Note 3 - Broth: You can also use chicken broth if you are not vegetarian.
How to store: Let the soup cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or you can transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container or well-sealed freezer-safe bag, leaving room at the top to accommodate expansion and freeze for up to 3 months.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate per serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 7g | Sugar: 5g