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    Recipes » Soup » Italian Soups

    Tuscan White Bean Soup

    Published: Jan 13, 2021 · Modified: Jan 13, 2021 by Marissa Stevens · 19 Comments

    Gluten FreeQuick Meals

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    tuscan white bean soup served in a white ceramic bowl

    Tuscan White Bean Soup is my ultimate comfort food when the weather gets chilly. It's rich and creamy with delicate flavors of garlic and sage.

    Tuscan White Bean Soup served in a white ceramic bowl

    Make this easy and delicious soup recipe with canned cannelini beans or with dried beans that you've cooked yourself. You'll find my favorite slow cooker method below.

    Ingredients You Need to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup

    Tuscan White Bean Soup Ingredients on a white marble board
    • Cannellini Beans: Or Great Northern beans, canned or home cooked.
    • Butter: Salted or Unsalted.
    • Olive Oil: Good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
    • Shallots: Look for firm, plump shallots.
    • Chicken Broth: Homemade Chicken Broth (chicken stock) or store bought.
    • Garlic: You'll need 6 large cloves. It sounds like a lot, but I promise it's just right.
    • Heavy Cream: Just enough to make this soup taste luxurious. Half and half is also an option.
    • Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To taste.
    • Chives: For garnish. A few small, fresh sage leaves are also a nice touch if you have them.
    Tuscan White Bean Soup served in white ceramic bowls

    How to Cook Dry Beans in a Slow Cooker

    I wonder who started the myth that soaking beans with salt would make them tough? It doesn't. Soaking beans in salted water before cooking actually tenderizes the skin and infuses the whole bean with flavor. True. And starting with dry beans that you've cooked is not only economical, but will make your Tuscan White Bean soup far better than starting with beans from a can.

    Thank goodness that Keith checked out Slow Cooker Revolution by America's Test Kitchen from our local library, or I might still believe the myth. The ratio is simple - 3 tablespoons of salt dissolved into 4 quarts of water and 1 pound of dry beans. Soak the beans in the salty water overnight and rinse the next morning. Transfer the beans to the bowl of a slow cooker and add enough water to cover them by about an inch; cook on low until tender.

    dry cannellini beans soaking in a slow cooker or crockpot.

    Alternatively, you can cook them in an oven safe pot with a tightly fitting lid in a slow oven (300 degrees F). Cooking time for dried beans swings wildly depending on the age of the beans. It could be 3 hours, up to 6 or more (test them often once you cross the 3 hour mark). This will yield about 6 ½ cups of cooked beans. Note: Cooked beans freeze beautifully.

    More Hearty Winter Soups

    • Pasta e Fagioli
    • White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup
    • Turkey and Rice Soup
    • Ribollita

    How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup

    Step 1: In a medium Dutch oven or soup pot, sauté shallot in butter and olive oil over medium heat until softened. Add sage, beans, and chicken broth; stir and bring to simmer. Add garlic and simmer 10 minutes more.

    • cooking shallots in butter and olive oil
    • adding cannellini beans and sage
    • simmering Tuscan White Bean Soup

    Step 2: Puree half of the soup in batches in a standard blender (with hot liquid, always cover blender with a towel instead of a lid) or with an immersion blender right in the pot. Return soup to pot and stir in cream, salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until heated through, but not boiling. Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with chives and a drizzle of olive oil.

    blending Tuscan White Bean Soup
    Tuscan White Bean Soup served in a white ceramic bowl

    Tuscan White Bean Soup

    Marissa Stevens
    Inspired by this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.
    5 from 3 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 350 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 large shallots finely chopped
    • 3 large fresh sage leaves or more if small
    • 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans drained, or 3 cups home cooked (recipe note #1)
    • 4 cups chicken broth (recipe note #2)
    • 6 large garlic cloves smashed and peeled
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • kosher salt to taste
    • extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
    • minced fresh chives for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add butter, olive oil, and minced shallot; cook and stir until shallots are softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add sage leaves and beans; stir to combine. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
    • Add garlic and simmer until garlic is soft, about 10 minutes more.
    • Use a handheld immersion blender if you have one, to puree about half of the soup, leaving a few beans in tact. Be sure to puree the sage leaves; they're pretty potent if you end up with a whole leaf in your mouth.) If you don't have an immersion blender, use a standard blender, pureeing the soup in batches. Because the soup is hot, use a towel to cover the blender instead of the lid. Hot liquids in a lidded blender expand and will splatter out and could burn you.
    • Once you've pureed your desired amount of soup and poured it back in the soup pot, add the heavy cream, pepper, and salt to taste. Heat until warm enough to serve, but not boiling.
    • Serve with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle of chives.

    Notes

    1. Great northern beans work well here too.
    2. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of this soup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 14gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 1390mgPotassium: 259mgFiber: 11gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 394IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword comfort food, easy, gluten free, quick
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

      January 17, 2021 at 1:11 pm

      I make bean soups quite often but I've never thought to add cream to one. Thanks for the inspiration.

      Reply
    2. David @ Spiced says

      January 14, 2021 at 4:34 am

      5 stars
      You've inspired me to start using dry beans again! It's just so easy to use canned beans, but I agree that the flavor is better with dried beans...not to mention the cost. Either way, this soup is right up my alley! I've made a version of this soup before, but I like how you pureed the entire thing. This is my kinda meal on a cold, snowy day!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 15, 2021 at 10:57 am

        Thanks, David! I end up making this with canned beans sometimes and it's still so good - but with cooked dried beans it really is even better.

        Reply
    3. Liz says

      January 13, 2021 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      The white beans and sage sold me! And the heavy cream, of course! What a lovely way to warm up on a chilly night.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 15, 2021 at 10:57 am

        aww...thanks, Liz! I'm excited for you to give this one a try!

        Reply
    4. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      January 13, 2021 at 11:29 am

      5 stars
      My mother made white bean soup often when I was growing up Marissa, so it's always been one of my favorites! This looks incredibly smooth and delicious. On my list!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 15, 2021 at 10:59 am

        Foods that bring back memories are the best, aren't they? Excited for you to taste this, Mary Ann!

        Reply
    5. angiesrecipes says

      January 13, 2021 at 10:57 am

      It looks so very creamy and warming. Freshly made white beans taste so much better than the canned version. And I love the easy, fuss free preparation too.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 15, 2021 at 10:59 am

        Thanks so much, Angie!

        Reply
    6. unitytraveler says

      March 04, 2013 at 11:51 am

      Can you use canned beans?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 04, 2013 at 12:37 pm

        Sure, I have many times in a pinch. 🙂 But I highly recommend trying it with home-cooked beans some time too.

        Reply
    7. Emily says

      March 01, 2013 at 7:20 am

      It's true, I don't soak beans. But your post made me rethink this strategy! Also: I have fond memories of my time in Italy and drinking Vov. Perfect for winter weather.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 02, 2013 at 10:40 am

        I never had it while we were in Italy - now I wish I had. Maybe it's worth a trip - yes, I think it is. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Colo says

      February 26, 2013 at 4:26 pm

      Very nice surprise to check in on a cold wet day in Virginia and see a great soup recipe! Thanks for sharing. I make a cannellini bean soup that I love, but this is a must try. Being just a wannabe chef (spend more time on the wine side 🙂 ), I have to ask on your direction: •6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled - Is that backwards? I always peel then smash 🙂

      Once again it is a cold rainy night and not much going on here.

      Have a happy...

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 26, 2013 at 4:36 pm

        Colo! So great to hear from you.

        No, not a mistake. It's my favorite way to peel and chop garlic. With a sturdy chef's knife, use the palm of your hand to give a garlic clove a firm whack. This will smash the garlic clove and make it a cinch to peel.

        Reply
    9. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says

      February 25, 2013 at 10:25 am

      Just a bowl of wonderful soup. I sometimes miss cold winter days here, at least a few, the weather has changed and there are almost no days of what you describe. But there´s always time for soup, and this is a wonderful one Marissa! I will start freezing cooked beans, so much better than cans.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 26, 2013 at 4:38 pm

        They are. Canned beans are great for convenience, but they definitely lack the texture and flavor of home cooked beans.

        Reply
    10. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

      February 24, 2013 at 3:15 pm

      The perfect soup after a ski! You look so pretty in those pics and Keith is handsome so you make a lovely couple! My MIL loves cross country skiing-she grew up in Finland and that's what they did mostly.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 26, 2013 at 4:37 pm

        Thanks so much Lorraine - you're very sweet.

        Reply

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