Tuscan White Bean Soup
This Tuscan white bean soup is built for the first cool evenings of the season. Bacon, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and rosemary create the savory base, while one can of blended cannellini beans turns the broth creamy with no cream at all. Diced potato and kale make it a complete meal, and a shower of Parmesan finishes each bowl. It serves 6, which makes it a good Sunday supper, a weeknight dinner or a pot to enjoy for lunches the next day.
What Makes This Recipe Special
- Only 1 of the 3 cans of cannellini is blended with broth, so the soup thickens naturally while the other beans stay whole and tender.
- Rendered bacon fat starts the base, giving the onion, carrot and celery a smoky, savory depth.
- Fresh rosemary goes in for just 30 seconds with the garlic, so its piney aroma blooms without turning bitter.
- Kale joins in the last 2 minutes, which keeps it bright and tender instead of overcooked.
Ingredients
3 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, divided
4 cupschicken broth, divided
1 tablespoonolive oil or avocado oil
3 stripsbacon, chopped
1 mediumonion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 mediumcarrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 celeryribs, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 clovesgarlic, minced
1 tablespoonfresh rosemary, minced
1 mediumrusset potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cupslacinato kale or curly kale, lightly packed and chopped
1/4 cupparsley, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Instructions
1
Drain and rinse 1 can of beans, then blend them with 1 cup of the broth until completely smooth. Drain and rinse the other 2 cans of beans and set them aside.
2
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until it is crisp and the fat has melted out.
3
Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until they have softened. Stir in the garlic and rosemary and cook for just 30 seconds, until you can smell them.
4
Add the blended beans, the whole beans you set aside, the potato and the rest of the broth, then season with salt and pepper. Bring it up to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5
Stir in the kale and simmer for about 2 minutes, until it wilts. Taste and adjust the seasoning, stir in the parsley, and serve hot with Parmesan on top if you like.
Essential Tips
Rinse the beans well
Rinse the canned cannellini under cold water until the liquid runs clear. The canning liquid can taste tinny and salty, and rinsing gives the soup a cleaner flavor while letting you control the seasoning.
Blend the beans first
Blend 1 can of beans with 1 cup of broth until completely smooth before you start the base. Doing it first means no grainy bits and no scrambling once the pot is hot. Then you can forget about it while the bacon cooks.
Crisp the bacon properly
Cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until it is crisp and the fat has rendered. That fat and the browned bits at the bottom flavor the vegetables that follow. Keep the heat moderate so the bacon does not scorch.
Dice the potato evenly
Cut the russet into 1/2-inch pieces so every piece turns tender within the 20 to 25 minute simmer. Even cubes cook at the same pace. The starch from the potato also gives the broth a little extra body.
Season at the very end
Bacon, broth and Parmesan all bring salt of their own. Wait until the kale has wilted, then taste before adding more. A pinch of black pepper and the parsley lift the flavor without extra salt.
Smart Swaps & Variations
Sausage and white bean
Swap the bacon for crumbled Italian sausage, browned in the same pot. The fennel in the sausage pairs naturally with the rosemary.
Vegetarian version
Skip the bacon, cook the vegetables in olive oil with a pinch of smoked paprika, and use vegetable broth. Leave off the Parmesan or use a vegetarian hard cheese.
Extra creamy
Blend a second can of beans with a cup of the broth for a thicker, almost chowder-like soup. Add it with the first blended batch.
What to Serve With This
- Crusty Italian bread or garlic toast for soaking up the broth
- A simple arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette
- A grilled cheese sandwich for an easy, cozy supper
- A glass of Sangiovese or another light red wine
Storage & Reheating
Storage
Cool the soup, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen overnight, but the soup will thicken, so plan to thin it a little when you reheat.
Reheating
Warm it in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of broth or water until it loosens to your liking. Avoid a hard boil, which can turn the kale dull and mushy.
Expert Chef Tips
- Scoop out about half of the crisp bacon with a slotted spoon before you add the vegetables, and sprinkle it over the bowls at the end. Bacon that simmers in the soup goes soft, while the reserved pieces keep their crunch.
- Pull the kale leaves off the tough center ribs before chopping. Even lacinato kale has stems that stay chewy in only 2 minutes of simmering, and the leaves alone wilt perfectly.
- Use the back of your spoon to crush a handful of the whole beans against the side of the pot near the end. It adds body to the broth without blending a second batch.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Blender for the creamy bean base
- Can opener and colander for draining and rinsing the beans
- Sharp knife and cutting board for chopping the vegetables evenly
Nutritional Benefits
- Cannellini beans offer plant protein and fiber, which makes the soup filling.
- Kale adds leafy greens, including vitamin K and vitamin C.
- Carrot, celery and onion bring more vegetables, and the potato adds potassium and a satisfying, starchy body.
- Bacon is used only for flavor, so the bowl is mostly beans and vegetables.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
Yes. Soak and cook them until tender first, using about 4 1/2 cups of cooked beans to replace the 3 cans. Blend about a third of them with the broth and add the rest whole, as the recipe does.
Can I make this soup without bacon?
Yes. Use olive oil to cook the vegetables and swap in vegetable broth for the chicken broth. A pinch of smoked paprika brings back some of the smoky flavor.
Which kale should I use?
Both lacinato and curly kale work, since the recipe calls for either. Remove the thick center ribs and chop the leaves fairly small so they wilt quickly in the last 2 minutes.
Why is my soup thinner than expected?
Check that the blended beans were completely smooth and fully stirred in. You can thicken the soup by simmering it a little longer uncovered, or by crushing a few of the whole beans against the side of the pot.
Can I make it ahead or freeze it?
Yes, it keeps well in the refrigerator for 4 days and the flavors improve overnight. It also freezes, though the potato softens slightly, so the kale is best added fresh when you reheat.
Can I use a different white bean?
Great Northern or navy beans are good substitutes for cannellini. They are a little smaller, but they blend and hold their shape in much the same way.
Is the Parmesan required?
No, it is optional and only added at the table. The soup is still rich and savory without it, and leaving it off keeps the soup dairy-free.
Is this soup gluten-free?
As written it contains no gluten ingredients, but check that your chicken broth is labeled gluten-free. Serve it without the crusty bread, or with a gluten-free loaf.
How do I keep the potato from turning mushy?
Dice it evenly into 1/2-inch pieces and keep the simmer gentle. Check it at 20 minutes, since it is done as soon as a piece is easily pierced with a fork.
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