Tuscan White Bean Soup (Print Version)

Rustic soup with creamy cannellini, herbs, fresh veggies, paired with crisp garlic bread.

# Components:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
07 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
09 - 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
11 - 4 cups vegetable broth
12 - 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Garlic Bread

16 - 1 baguette or Italian loaf, sliced
17 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
19 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6-7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and chili flakes to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in drained cannellini beans and diced tomatoes. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
04 - Add fresh spinach or kale and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until greens are wilted. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
05 - While the soup simmers, preheat your oven broiler to high setting.
06 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, fresh parsley, and a pinch of salt.
07 - Spread garlic butter mixture evenly over bread slices. Arrange on a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot with garlic bread on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's done in under an hour, which means you can go from craving comfort food to actually eating it without too much fuss.
  • The creamy beans and bright greens create this perfect balance where nothing feels heavy, even though it's genuinely filling.
  • Garlic bread on the side transforms the whole experience from simple to restaurant-worthy, and your guests will assume you spent way more time than you did.
02 -
  • If you mash about a quarter of the beans before adding them to the pot, the soup becomes naturally creamy without needing an immersion blender or cream, and it happens almost by accident.
  • Tossing a Parmesan rind into the pot while it simmers adds a savory depth that people will taste but won't be able to identify, which is somehow the best kind of secret.
03 -
  • If you want a creamier version without adding dairy, blend about a third of the soup until smooth, then stir it back in—it creates richness from the beans themselves instead of relying on cream.
  • A Parmesan rind simmering in the pot is a flavor secret that seems too simple to work, but it genuinely transforms the entire bowl into something deeper and more complex.
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