Tuscan White Bean Soup (Printable)

Tuscan-inspired soup with white beans, kale, and Parmesan for a warm, wholesome meal.

# What You 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 (approximately 4 cups packed)
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

→ Beans

08 - 2 cans (14 ounces each) cannellini beans, 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped kale to the pot and sauté for 2 to 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 mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove bay leaf. For a creamier consistency, use a potato masher to mash some of the beans directly in the pot.
07 - Season soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper according to preference.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have dinner on the table before the sun sets on a busy weeknight.
  • The soup tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and somehow it feels fancy enough to serve to guests without any fussing.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans, because that cloudy liquid they sit in will make your soup taste starchy and dull instead of clean and bright.
  • The soup actually transforms overnight in the refrigerator as the herbs continue steeping, so if you have time, make it a day ahead and your future self will be grateful.
03 -
  • Keep the heat at a gentle simmer during cooking, because a rolling boil will make the kale tough and break down the beans too much.
  • Add a parmesan rind to the pot while it simmers if you have one saved in the freezer, it melts subtly into the broth and adds a umami depth that nobody can quite identify.
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