Tuscan White Bean Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Comforting Tuscan soup with creamy beans, kale, and a rich Parmesan finish, ideal for chilly evenings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped (about 4 cups packed)
07 - 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz), drained

→ Beans

08 - 2 cans cannellini beans (14 oz each), drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
18 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped kale and sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly wilted.
04 - Mix in diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, water, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes if using.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove bay leaf. For a creamier texture, use a potato masher to mash some of the beans directly in the pot.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been tending it all day long.
  • The beans naturally thicken as they cook, giving you that restaurant-quality creaminess without any cream.
  • One pot means one pot to clean, which is honestly half the reason I make soup on weeknights.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the canned tomatoes—that extra liquid will thin your soup when you don't want it to, and it's the difference between restaurant-quality and watery.
  • The mashing step is where the magic happens; even a little bit of bean breakdown creates a naturally creamy broth that feels luxurious without any dairy involved.
03 -
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the warm broth like it belongs there, but pre-shredded cheese stays grainy and separated—the difference is real and worth the extra thirty seconds of grating.
  • Add a small splash of good wine before you add the broth; it's not fancy, it's smart, and the acidity brightens everything underneath.
Return