Tuscan White Bean Soup
Tuscan White Bean Soup is a classic Italian-inspired recipe that turns simple, wholesome ingredients into a hearty soup with lots of rich flavor. You won’t believe how quick and easy it is to make!
Soup recipes often rely on a long simmering time to develop flavor. Not so with this Tuscan white bean soup. It comes together lightning fast, so it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, and a few key ingredients bring lots of flavor to the table without requiring an extended time on the stovetop.
Creamy cannellini beans are the centerpiece of this soup—in addition to that creaminess, they have a subtle nutty flavor. Hearty kale is the perfect complement to those creamy beans. There are also lots of veggies in the mix too, adding extra satisfaction. It’s inspired by our Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup.
This Tuscan white bean soup encapsulates everything I love about Italian cooking. (Okay, while I can’t vouch for the authenticity of this recipe, it’s definitely inspired by Italian flavors.) You don’t need dozens and dozens of ingredients or complicated cooking methods to make a delicious meal—and sometimes it’s the simplest recipes that pack in the most flavor!
Ingredients for Tuscan White Bean Soup
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Olive Oil – Always essential in Italian cooking.
- Onion and Garlic – These aromatics form the base of flavor for this Tuscan white bean soup recipe.
- Italian Seasoning – An easy way to add a whole bunch of herbs without having to empty out your entire spice cabinet.
- Tomato Paste – Tomato paste isn’t just for tomato flavor—it’s also a source of umami. Browning it in the pan helps coax out extra flavor and complexity.
- Dry White Wine – Another secret to big flavor! Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are both great choices.
- Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes – Choosing fire-roasted diced tomatoes over regular is another extra source of flavor in this soup.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Stock – Use a high quality stock here. Homemade chicken stock is even better.
- Cannellini Beans – Rinse and drain these.
- Half and Half – This adds a creamy finish without the heaviness of heavy cream.
- Parmesan Cheese – Nutty Parmesan makes this Tuscan white bean soup extra delicious.
- Kale – You can use any variety you like.
- Salt and Pepper – Season to taste!
How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
This is just a brief summary of the steps for making this recipe. For the full instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Cook the onions. Sweat them in a Dutch oven with the oil; they should be softened, not browned.
- Add the next 3 ingredients. Stir in the garlic. Once it’s fragrant, stir in the Italian seasoning and tomato paste. Cook until the paste darkens.
- Deglaze the pan. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.
- Simmer. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half and cheese, followed by the kale. Once everything is heated through and the kale wilts, turn off the heat.
- Finish. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with additional Parmesan.
Tips for Making Tuscan White Bean Soup
These tips will help make sure your soup turns out perfect!
- Wash the kale well. Curly kale leaves especially! They are good at smuggling grit and, yes, bugs into your dinner. Don’t ask me how I know.
- Adjust consistency. If you want a thicker soup, you can mash some of the beans against the side of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon. This will release their starches into the soup, making it thicker.
- Grate your own Parmesan cheese. It makes such a big difference! Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will melt more smoothly into the soup than store-bought shreds or grated Parmesan.
Variations
I love this Tuscan white bean soup recipe as-is, but if you’re feeling adventurous, try one of these variations:
- Switch up the beans. If you have other varieties of beans you’d like to use in this recipe, go for it! Rancho Gordo has a lot of fun heirloom bean varieties that are great for making soup.
- Add meat. In case you were wondering, YES, you can definitely add meat to Tuscan white bean soup. Cooked Italian sausage and bacon would both be delicious.
- Use different greens. While kale is a popular choice for this soup, you can also swap it with other greens like spinach or Swiss chard. If you use Swiss chard, you can cook the stems with the onion.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer your Tuscan white bean soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave.
For longer storage, you can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. I recommend thawing it in the refrigerator before reheating.
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For batch freezing soups, stews, stocks and broths, we love using silicone Souper Cubes for mess free meal prep.
What to Serve With Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Artichoke Salad
- Caprese Sandwich
- Parker House Rolls
- Homemade Garlic Bread
- Garlic Rosemary Focaccia
- The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Easy Brioche Rolls
More Hearty Soup Recipes
- Italian Sausage Soup
- Easy Savory Lentil Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Soup Recipe
- Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Sausage Tortellini Soup
For more easy soup recipes, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (14.5-ounce) cans diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups chopped kale
- salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium/high heat.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Italian seasoning and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes longer or until the tomato paste begins to turn a deep burgundy color.
- Add the wine to the pot and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and beans to the pot stirring to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Slowly stir in the half and half and cheese, then add the kale. Simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
4 Comments on “Tuscan White Bean Soup”
I made this tonite & possibly the best soup I’ve ever made! I followed recipe but used red wine & spinach instead of kale. I also cooked & added sliced Italian sausage. This is a hearty delicious soup I served with crusty bread. I will make this again.
can I make this in my slow cooker?
Can you leave the wine out completely or do you need to replace the liquid with another cup of chicken broth?
You can replace the wine with broth, apple juice or white grape juice.