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This Tuscan white bean soup is a hearty, highly affordable, cozy meal. Made with creamy white beans, aromatic herbs, and a parmesan rind for extra depth of flavor, this soup is ready in about 30 minutes, full of healthy ingredients, and makes a great rustic fall meal.
Table of Contents
- Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What Makes This White Bean Soup Tuscan Style?
- Ingredients
- Variations And Substitutions
- How To Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- How To Serve
- Meal Prep and Storage
- Recipe FAQs
- Similar Recipes You’ll Love
- Recipe Roundups You May Like
- Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Our Tuscan Bean Soup is the kind of meal that makes the entire kitchen smell incredible and feel extra cozy.
Sweet onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, and herbes de Provence simmer together in a rich, savory broth, while a Parmesan rind adds the most delicious depth of flavor.
Blending a small portion of the beans gives the soup a naturally creamy texture without needing heavy cream.
Cannellini beans are full of fiber, making each bowl wonderfully hearty and satisfying. Add in all those vegetables and several generous handfuls of fresh greens, and you have a nourishing meal that feels both comforting and fresh.
This soup beans recipe makes a generous batch, tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully for future meals. Make it on the stovetop, in your slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot, then finish each bowl with fresh lemon, parsley, grated Parmesan, or a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
Simple, cozy, budget-friendly and packed with so much flavor! This is the soup you’ll want simmering in your kitchen all season long.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple ingredients such as flavorful fresh garlic and herbs blend together to create a warming weeknight meal that will satisfy your need for a bowl of comfort during these cooler months. And here are a few more reasons you’re going to love this bean soup recipe:
- One Pot Meal: Whether you make this recipe in a stockpot, a slow cooker, or an instant pot, we have the instructions for you. They are all considered “one-pot” so you can keep the kitchen clutter to a minimum!
- Healthy Vegetarian Meal: This plant-based soup is high protein and high fiber. White beans give it 16 grams of plant-based protein, while the veggies and the beans together give it 10 grams of fiber and other nutrients.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Our recipe makes plenty for a week of meal prepping or freezing for a dinner later in the month.
- Budget Friendly: Beans are inexpensive whether you choose to buy cans of beans or cook your own dried beans for this recipe.
If you’re looking for more one-pan bean recipes then you may want to try our incredibly popular French Onion Butter Beans Recipe or our 20-Minute White Bean Curry.
What Makes This White Bean Soup Tuscan Style?
Authentic white bean Tuscan soup was made by peasants as an affordable meal option. There was no meat, no heavy cream to help make it creamy, and no expensive ingredients.
Just like with our white bean soup recipe, peasants would blend or mash a portion of the tender white beans and add a drizzle of olive oil on top to make the soup creamy. It was finished off with dark leafy greens like cavolo nero (which is a type of kale) or with Swiss chard.
The defining aromatics were rosemary and garlic, with the occasional leftover parmesan rind being tossed in to help deepen the flavor. I feel that all of these characteristics make our recipe a Tuscan-style soup.
Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients that make this White Bean Soup recipe perfect for a Tuscan flavored dinner on a cool fall evening.
White Beans: The cannellini beans in this recipe are pureed to give the soup a creamy texture without heavy cream plus they add protein and fiber.
Mirapoix: This mix of sauteed carrots, celery and onion is the traditional base of a Tuscan white bean soup, and lends a base of flavors.
Herbs de Provence: Herbes de Provence is obviously a French herb blend but works to really enhance the flavor of this Italian-inspired soup with flavors from rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme. When purchase an herbes de Provence mix, make sure it does contain rosemary as the first ingredient (since that’s the traditional flavor in a Tuscan bean soup) and does not contain lavender or your hearty, rustic soup will take on a floral note. Purchase the brand I use here.
Additional Italian Herbs: On top of the herbes de Provence, I also added Italian herbs and flavors like garlic and oregano.
Bone Broth: Bone broth adds additional protein and nutrients to your soup. You can purchase it or make your own with our homemade bone broth recipe.
Leafy Greens: I chose to add kale at the end of making my soup since I found it on sale and I love the extra heartiness and green color the kale gives to the soup.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations And Substitutions
- Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: Remove parmesan rind and grated parmesan on top, then swap the bone broth for vegetable broth. Removing the parmesan will also make this recipe dairy free.
- Change the Broth: Instead of bone broth you can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Swap the Kale: Instead of kale you could use fresh baby spinach or Swiss chard.
- Adjust the Spice: Add more or less chili flakes to adjust the spice to your liking. You can also remove them entirely if you prefer no spice at all.
- Add More Protein: If you want more protein added to this soup, try adding shredded chicken, ground beef, or nitrate free Italian sausage.
How To Make Tuscan White Bean Soup
Stovetop Instructions:
Step 1. Heat your oil or butter in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery, a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté about 8 minutes or until the veggies soften and the onions are translucent.
Step 2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until the past turns slightly darker. Then add the herbes de Province, dried oregano, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté an additional 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
Step 3. To the Dutch oven, add the white beans, parmesan rind, bay leaves and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Step 4. At the end of cooking, remove the parmesan rinds and bay leaves, then carefully take 2 cups of the soup from the pot and place it into a blender. Blend until smooth, then return that blended soup to the pot and stir it in. Alternatively, you could us an immersion blender for this.
Step 5. Add the chopped kale and stir continuously until just wilted.
Crockpot/Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat your oil, butter, or ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. If your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you can do this step directly in the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery; season with sea salt and pepper to taste, then sauté for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until your veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly darkened. Add the minced garlic, herbes de Provence, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Transfer your sautéed veggie mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the beans, Parmesan rinds, bay leaves, and broth, then stir everything together.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until your carrots and celery are tender.
- Once the cooking time is up, remove the Parmesan rinds and bay leaves and discard. Very carefully take about 2 cups of the soup and place it into a blender. Blend until smooth, then return it to your slow cooker. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving plenty of beans and vegetables whole for texture.
- If using kale, stir it into your soup, cover, and continue cooking on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, until tender. If using spinach, stir it in, cover, and cook for just 5–10 minutes, until wilted.
- Taste your soup and adjust the sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
Enjoy it while it’s hot!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Set your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ. Once hot, add your olive oil, butter, or ghee.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery; season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, then sauté for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until your veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly darkened. Add the minced garlic, herbes de Provence, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Pour in about 1 cup of the broth. Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of your pot. This step is important to help prevent a BURN notice.
- Press CANCEL. Add the beans and remaining broth, then stir everything together. Place the Parmesan rinds and 1 large or 2 small bay leaves on top. Avoid pressing the cheese rinds against the bottom of the pot.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to SEALING. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid, then remove and discard the Parmesan rinds and bay leaves.
- Very carefully take about 2 cups of the soup and place them into a blender. Blend until smooth, then return the blended soup to your Instant Pot.
- Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend your soup directly in the pot, leaving plenty of beans and vegetables whole for texture.
- Set your Instant Pot back to SAUTÉ. If using kale, stir it in and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. If using spinach, stir it in and cook for just 1–2 minutes, until wilted. Press CANCEL.
- Taste your soup and adjust the sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
Enjoy it while it’s hot!
Love, Rachel
Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- An 8-quart Instant Pot is ideal for this full recipe. If using a 6-quart model, make sure the ingredients remain below the maximum fill line. You may want to pressure-cook the soup with only 5 cups of broth, then stir in the sixth cup after blending.
- Simmer a parmesan rind with the soup for extra savory flavor and creamier texture, then remove it before blending.
- Because both the broth and Parmesan rind may contain substantial salt, season conservatively at the beginning and make the final adjustment after the rind has been removed and taste tested.
- To save time, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup right in the pot, being sure to leave plenty of whole beans and vegetables for texture.
More affordable bean recipes you can try on the CFC site are this Budget-Friendly Creamy Bean Soup, our Crunchy Veggie & Bean Chopped Salad, or this Black Bean and Corn Pico de Gallo which makes a great dip for any occasion.
How To Serve
Serve this Tuscan style soup in a bowl with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, sprinkle of fresh parsley, and/or grated Parmesan on top.
Make this soup even more filling by serving it over rice, quinoa, or farro adding a side salad, or pairing it with a healthy protein like grilled chicken skewers, easy honey mustard pork tenderloin, or salmon in lemon cream sauce.
Meal Prep and Storage
This recipe makes a generous batch, tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully for future meals.
Meal Prep: This recipe makes 8 servings, so make the entire batch ahead of time and then freeze it or put it into individual containers for an easy meal prep lunch
Refrigerator: White bean soup will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: In the freezer, this recipe will last up to 2 months in an airtight container.
Reheat: To reheat, first thaw the soup in the refrigerator. Once thawed, microwave until heated through or place in a pot on the stove, stirring until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
What’s the secret to a flavorful Tuscan Soup?
The secret to a flavorful Tuscan soup is using parmesan rinds which are the rind from real Parmesan cheese. The rind contains all the flavors of the cheese and is basically inedible, but it’s great to cook with! It won’t melt, so you can pull it out before blending this soup, and if you don’t have one to use, you can find them for pretty cheap at a high-end grocer or cheese shop.
Is white bean soup healthy?
Absolutely! This white bean soup is healthy because we use all clean, natural ingredients that are high in protein, fiber, and nutrients.
Is this soup freezer friendly?
Yes, white Tuscan bean soup will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
Did you try this Tuscan White Bean Soup recipe? If so, it would mean so much to me if you would comment and rate this recipe!
🩷Rachel
Similar Recipes You’ll Love
Recipe Roundups You May Like
Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp ghee, or grass-fed butter, or olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
- 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 5 ribs celery, diced
- 3 Tbsps tomato paste
- 5 fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsps organic herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 3 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, or great northern beans, navy, or butter beans drained and rinsed well
- 2 –3 ounces Parmesan rinds, natural and unwaxed
- 6 cups chicken bone broth , or vegetable broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 cups fresh spinach or kale, heaping and chopped
- sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Stockpot/Dutch Oven Instructions:
- Heat your oil or butter in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery; sea salt and pepper to taste, then saute for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until your veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly darkened. Add the minced garlic, herbes de Provence, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add beans, parmesan rind, bay leaves, and broth. Bring your soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Once the time is up, remove Parmesan rinds and bay leaves and discard. Very carefully take about 2 cups of the soup and place into a blender. Blend until smooth, then return to your pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving plenty of beans and vegetables whole for texture.
- Add the spinach or kale and cook, stirring continuously, just until wilted.
- Enjoy it while it’s hot!
Crockpot/Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat your oil, butter, or ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. If your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you can do this step directly in the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery; season with sea salt and pepper to taste, then sauté for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until your veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly darkened. Add the minced garlic, herbes de Provence, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Transfer your sautéed veggie mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the beans, Parmesan rinds, bay leaves, and broth, then stir everything together.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until your carrots and celery are tender.
- Once the cooking time is up, remove the Parmesan rinds and bay leaves and discard. Very carefully take about 2 cups of the soup and place it into a blender. Blend until smooth, then return it to your slow cooker. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving plenty of beans and vegetables whole for texture.
- If using kale, stir it into your soup, cover, and continue cooking on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, until tender. If using spinach, stir it in, cover, and cook for just 5–10 minutes, until wilted.
- Taste your soup and adjust the sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
- Enjoy it while it’s hot!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Set your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ. Once hot, add your olive oil, butter, or ghee.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery; season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, then sauté for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until your veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly darkened. Add the minced garlic, herbes de Provence, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Pour in about 1 cup of the broth. Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of your pot. This step is important to help prevent a BURN notice.
- Press CANCEL. Add the beans and remaining broth, then stir everything together. Place the Parmesan rinds and 1 large or 2 small bay leaves on top. Avoid pressing the cheese rinds against the bottom of the pot.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to SEALING. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid, then remove and discard the Parmesan rinds and bay leaves.
- Very carefully take about 2 cups of the soup and place them into a blender. Blend until smooth, then return the blended soup to your Instant Pot.
- Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend your soup directly in the pot, leaving plenty of beans and vegetables whole for texture.
- Set your Instant Pot back to SAUTÉ. If using kale, stir it in and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. If using spinach, stir it in and cook for just 1–2 minutes, until wilted. Press CANCEL.
- Taste your soup and adjust the sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
- Enjoy it while it’s hot!
Notes
Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- An 8-quart Instant Pot is ideal for this full recipe. If using a 6-quart model, make sure the ingredients remain below the maximum fill line. You may want to pressure-cook the soup with only 5 cups of broth, then stir in the sixth cup after blending.
- Simmer a parmesan rind with the soup for extra savory flavor and creamier texture, then remove it before blending.
- Because both the broth and Parmesan rind may contain substantial salt, season conservatively at the beginning and make the final adjustment after the rind has been removed and taste tested.
- To save time, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup right in the pot, being sure to leave plenty of whole beans and vegetables for texture.
Meal Prep and Storage
This recipe makes a generous batch, tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully for future meals. Meal Prep: This recipe makes 8 servings, so make the entire batch ahead of time and then freeze it or put it into individual containers for an easy meal prep lunch Refrigerator: White bean soup will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: In the freezer, this recipe will last up to 2 months in an airtight container. Reheat: To reheat, first thaw the soup in the refrigerator. Once thawed, microwave until heated through or place in a pot on the stove, stirring until heated through.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
