I used to think that to make a soup truly satisfying and rich, I had to load it with heavy cream. I was so wrong! I'm sharing my favorite healthy cooking hack with this Tuscan White Bean Soup. The secret to this creamy vegan soup is blending a portion of the white beans into the broth. It creates a velvety, luxurious texture that is completely dairy-free and packed with fiber. It feels indulgent, but it's 100% wholesome.
Tuscan white bean soup is made in one pot, ready in 30 minutes and perfect for meal prep! It's vegan, gluten free and easy to make. Tuscan White Bean Soup is a delicious one-pot dish with layers of flavors from Italian sausage, vegetables, herbs, and spices that create incredible depth. Hearty Tuscan white bean soup with carrots, kale, and Italian herbs delivers herby lemon flavor and is irresistibly creamy without using a drop of cream.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Ingredients for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
- My Top Tips for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Making Tuscan White Bean Soup with My Family
- Substitutions for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Variations on Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Equipment for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Storage Tips for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Adam's Tip for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- FAQ about Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Conclusion
- Related
- Pairing
- recipe
Why You'll Love This Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Naturally creamy: This tuscan white bean soup recipe achieves a creamy blended bean texture without any heavy cream, making it healthy and satisfying.
- Incredibly versatile: Whether you want tuscan white bean soup vegetarian or tuscan white bean soup with sausage, this recipe adapts beautifully.
- Budget-friendly: Using pantry-staple cannellini (white) beans makes this soup economical without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredients for Tuscan White Bean Soup
This authentic tuscan bean soup uses cannellini (white) beans for that signature creamy texture. The one-pot sautéed onion, carrot & celery creates a flavorful base, while wilted kale or spinach greens add color and nutrition. The lemon-herb brightness with Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano) brings authentic Tuscan flavor, and a red wine (or white wine) splash adds depth to the hearty vegetable broth base.
What You'll Need
For the Soup Base:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 3 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups dried, soaked overnight)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Greens & Finishing:
- 4 cups chopped kale or spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, torn (optional)
For Serving:
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Grated Parmesan cheese (omit for vegan)
- Crusty bread for dipping
Optional Add-ins:
- 1 pound Italian sausage (for tuscan white bean soup with sausage)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (for extra richness)
Why These Ingredients Matter
- Cannellini beans: These cannellini (white) beans break down slightly during cooking, creating that signature creamy blended bean texture without needing cream.
- One-pot aromatics: The one-pot sautéed onion, carrot & celery (Italian soffritto) creates the authentic flavor base for this Tuscan soup.
- Lemon-herb brightness: The combination of fresh lemon and herbs provides the lemon-herb brightness that makes this soup taste fresh and vibrant.
How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
Step-by-Step Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add one-pot sautéed onion, carrot & celery and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- If using sausage for tuscan white bean soup with sausage, brown it now, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add red wine (or white wine) splash and let it simmer for 2 minutes to reduce.
- Pour in hearty vegetable broth base, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano).
- Add cannellini (white) beans and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash about ⅓ of the beans for creamy blended bean texture.
- Add wilted kale or spinach greens and cook until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and zest for lemon-herb brightness.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in fresh parsley and basil.
- Ladle into bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Serve with rustic bread for dipping and grated Parmesan if desired.
Hint: For tuscan white bean soup giada style, add fresh rosemary and finish with a generous drizzle of high-quality olive oil.
My Top Tips for Tuscan White Bean Soup
Don't skip mashing some of the beans. This creates that creamy blended bean texture that makes the soup feel luxurious without any cream. The red wine (or white wine) splash is optional but adds incredible depth to the broth. Also, add the wilted kale or spinach greens at the end to keep them bright green and prevent them from becoming mushy. This technique is similar to what we use with our potato soup, where proper timing makes all the difference.
Making Tuscan White Bean Soup with My Family
Last winter, Adam helped me make this tuscan white bean soup vegetarian version for dinner. He was in charge of opening the cans of cannellini (white) beans and rinsing them. "These beans are so white and smooth, Mom!" he said excitedly. When it came time to add the kale, he carefully pushed it down into the pot.
When we sat down to eat, Adam dipped his rustic bread for dipping into the soup. "This is so yummy! I didn't know beans could taste this good!" Grandma Viola tried hers and said, "Tuscan white bean soup is made in one pot, ready in 30 minutes and perfect for meal prep and it's absolutely delicious. This tastes just like the soup we had in Florence."
Substitutions for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Beans: Use Great Northern beans or navy beans instead of cannellini (white) beans for similar results.
- Greens: Replace wilted kale or spinach greens with Swiss chard, escarole, or arugula for different flavors.
- Broth: Use chicken broth instead of hearty vegetable broth base if you're not keeping it vegetarian.
- Wine: Skip the red wine (or white wine) splash and use extra broth if you prefer alcohol-free soup.
Variations on Tuscan White Bean Soup
- With sausage: Make tuscan white bean soup with sausage by browning Italian sausage before adding the vegetables.
- Ina Garten style: Try tuscan white bean soup ina garten version by adding fresh rosemary and finishing with lemon zest.
- With kale: Make tuscan white bean soup with kale instead of spinach for a heartier texture and earthier flavor. Check out this sausage & white bean soup for more inspiration.
Equipment for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Large Dutch oven or pot: Essential for this one-pot sautéed onion, carrot & celery soup with room for all ingredients.
- Potato masher: Perfect for creating that creamy blended bean texture without over-blending.
- Immersion blender: Optional but great for pureeing just a portion of the soup for extra creaminess.
- Microplane zester: For getting fine lemon zest that provides the lemon-herb brightness.
Storage Tips for Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavors actually improve as it sits.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. The cannellini (white) beans freeze beautifully and maintain their texture.
- Reheating: Warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
This recipe is perfect for meal prep and comfort food collections. The cannellini (white) beans with wilted kale or spinach greens makes it ideal for healthy eating. It pairs beautifully with our chicken tortellini soup or taco soup when you want variety.
Adam's Tip for Tuscan White Bean Soup
"Make sure you dip your bread in the soup because that's the best part. Also, the beans are really soft and yummy. If you squeeze lemon on top right before you eat it, it tastes even better!"
FAQ about Tuscan White Bean Soup
What is traditional Tuscan soup with white beans?
Traditional authentic tuscan bean soup is called "Zuppa Toscana" or "Ribollita" and typically features cannellini (white) beans, one-pot sautéed onion, carrot & celery (soffritto), wilted kale or spinach greens, and rustic bread for dipping. This tuscan white bean soup recipe uses a hearty vegetable broth base with Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano) and achieves a creamy blended bean texture by mashing some beans. The lemon-herb brightness and red wine (or white wine) splash are common additions that enhance the authentic Tuscan flavor profile.
What's the secret to a flavorful Tuscan soup?
The secret to amazing tuscan white bean soup is building layers of flavor. Start with one-pot sautéed onion, carrot & celery to create a flavorful base, add a red wine (or white wine) splash for depth, use Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano) for authentic herbs, and finish with lemon-herb brightness from fresh lemon juice and zest. The creamy blended bean texture comes from mashing some cannellini (white) beans against the pot. Whether you make tuscan white bean soup vegetarian or tuscan white bean soup with sausage, these techniques create incredible flavor.
What seasoning is in Tuscan bean soup?
Tuscan white bean soup typically uses Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano), fresh rosemary, garlic, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper flakes for a subtle heat. The lemon-herb brightness from fresh lemon juice and zest is essential, along with fresh parsley and basil at the end. For tuscan white bean soup giada or tuscan white bean soup jamie oliver styles, fresh herbs are emphasized over dried. Salt and black pepper are crucial for bringing out the natural flavors of the cannellini (white) beans and hearty vegetable broth base.
What beans work best in Tuscan soup?
Cannellini (white) beans are the traditional and best choice for authentic tuscan bean soup because they have a creamy texture and mild flavor that creates the signature creamy blended bean texture when partially mashed. Great Northern beans or navy beans also work well. Using dried beans (soaked overnight per tuscan white bean soup ina garten method) provides better texture and flavor than canned, but canned beans make this a quick 30-minute meal. For white bean soup variations, any white bean variety works, though cannellini are preferred for their size and creaminess.
Conclusion
Now you know the secret to getting that velvety texture without a drop of dairy! Go ahead and have a second bowl, this is the kind of "creamy" comfort food that actually loves you back. This Tuscan White Bean Soup with its creamy blended bean texture proves that healthy can be absolutely delicious and satisfying.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Tuscan White Bean Soup:
recipe
Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup Without Cream
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch oven or soup pot Big enough for stirring and mashing beans safely with kids nearby.
- 1 Wooden spoon Gentle on the pot and easy for little helpers to hold.
- 1 Potato masher or immersion blender Used to create the creamy texture without cream.
- 1 Microplane or fine zester For fresh lemon zest at the end.
Ingredients
For the Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 3 cans cannellini beans 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces
- 0.25 cup dry white wine optional
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
For the Greens and Finishing
- 4 cups kale or spinach chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh basil torn (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine (if using) and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce.
- Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a light boil.
- Add the cannellini beans and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Mash about one-third of the beans with a masher or blend with an immersion blender for creaminess.
- Add chopped kale or spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and zest.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and basil before serving.
Notes
- For a Tuscan white bean soup with sausage, brown 1 pound Italian sausage before adding the vegetables.
- This soup thickens as it sits. Add a splash of broth when reheating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- My daughter insists this soup tastes best with crusty bread and an extra squeeze of lemon.
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