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Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe

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4.5 from 56 reviews

This Tuscan White Bean Soup is a hearty and comforting Italian-inspired soup featuring creamy cannellini beans, savory pancetta, and fresh vegetables simmered in aromatic broth with herbs. Finished with fresh spinach and a touch of cheese, this rustic soup is rich, flavorful, and perfect for a nourishing meal any day.

Ingredients

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Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 medium leek, chopped, white and light green parts only
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup chopped)
  • 1 large carrot, diced small
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (about 30 baby spinach leaves)

Meat and Dairy

  • 4 ounces cubed pancetta
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
  • 1/4 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano, plus extra for garnish

Pantry Items

  • 1 tablespoon olive, avocado, or vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
  • 32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth, or chicken bone broth
  • 2 cans white cannellini beans (15 ounces each), with their juices
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil and sauté aromatics: Heat the oil in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, and pancetta and stir well to coat everything in the oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to soften the vegetables. To help soften the carrots faster, cover the pot with a lid intermittently to trap steam.
  2. Add garlic and herbs: Stir in the minced garlic and dried Italian herb blend, cooking briefly until fragrant, about a minute.
  3. Add broth and beans: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and increase heat to bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, add the fresh rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and the two cans of cannellini beans with their juices.
  4. Simmer and develop flavor: Adjust heat to maintain an active simmer and cook for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
  5. Remove herbs: Reduce heat to low and remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprig, discarding them.
  6. Blend part of the soup: In a tall jar or large bowl, add the heavy cream (if using) and scoop out two cups of the soup with beans. Use an immersion blender or upright blender to puree this mixture until smooth. Return the blended bean mixture back into the pot and stir well to combine, creating a creamy texture while leaving some beans whole for texture.
  7. Add spinach and cheese: Stir in the fresh chopped spinach and grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano. Let the residual heat wilt the spinach gently.
  8. Season to taste: Taste the soup and add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

Notes

  • The heavy cream is optional and adds richness; omit for a lighter soup or to keep it dairy-free.
  • You can substitute pancetta with bacon or omit for a vegetarian version (use vegetable broth then).
  • To speed up softening vegetables, covering the pot during sauté traps steam and helps cook more evenly.
  • Use fresh herbs if possible; dried herbs blend well, but fresh rosemary adds a lovely aromatic note.
  • This soup stores well and reheats beautifully, thickening slightly—add broth or water when reheating if needed.

Find it online: https://yummelle.com/tuscan-white-bean-soup-recipe/