Description
This Tuscan White Bean Soup is a hearty and comforting dish featuring creamy cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and flavorful Italian seasonings. Perfect for a quick and nutritious meal, it combines a luscious blend of sautéed shallots, garlic, carrots, celery, and kale simmered in a savory vegetable broth. The use of a hand blender to partially puree the soup creates a creamy texture while maintaining some chunky vegetable bits for added body and bite.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 shallots (or one small onion, chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 3 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 17 oz cannellini beans (canned, drained and rinsed)
- 3-5 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces kale (or baby spinach)
Instructions
- Heat the Oil and Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallots (or onion) and minced garlic, and sauté for about 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Add Root Vegetables: Add the chopped carrots and diced celery stalks to the pot. Continue sautéing until the vegetables begin to soften, which usually takes several minutes.
- Add Tomato Paste and Liquids: Stir in the tomato paste quickly to coat the vegetables, then add the drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine and bring the soup to a boil.
- Simmer the Soup: Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to cook through.
- Partial Puree for Creaminess: Using a hand blender, carefully blend about half of the soup right in the pot. This gives the soup a creamy texture while keeping some vegetables whole for texture.
- Add Greens and Finish Cooking: Stir in the kale or baby spinach and cook for a few more minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
- Serve: Give everything a thorough stir, remove from heat, and ladle the soup into bowls. Serve hot as a comforting and nutritious meal.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of vegetable broth based on desired soup thickness; 3 cups for thicker, 5 for thinner.
- Substitute kale with baby spinach for a milder green flavor and quicker cooking time.
- This soup keeps well refrigerated for 3-4 days and also freezes nicely for up to 2 months.
- For extra richness, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil or grated Parmesan cheese (optional).
