Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale in 35 Minutes
This Tuscan white bean soup leans into pantry-friendly beans, rosemary, and greens for a fast, nourishing pot with a lightly creamy (no-cream) broth, tender kale, and a savory finish from olive oil and Parmesan.
Equipment
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Immersion blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for sautéing and finishing
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced (about 1 cup/150 g)
- 2 medium carrots finely diced (about 1 cup/180–200 g)
- 2 celery ribs finely diced (about 1 cup/100–120 g)
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs stems reserved; leaves finely chopped for finish (about 5 g leaves)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz/425 g each, undrained
- 1 Parmesan rind 3–4 inches, optional
- 3–4 cups lacinato kale ribs removed, chopped (90–120 g)
- 1/2 small lemon juiced (about 1 tbsp/15 ml), optional
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
- extra-virgin olive oil for serving
Instructions
- Warm the base. Set a heavy pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. When it shimmers, add onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and edges look glossy, 5–7 minutes (sweat, don’t deeply brown).
- Build flavor. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook just until the garlic smells sweet, about 30 seconds. Add the rosemary stems and bay leaves; toss to coat in the oil.
- Add beans and broth. Pour in the broth and both cans of cannellini beans with their liquid. If using a Parmesan rind, add it now. Scrape the pot bottom to release any flavorful bits.
- Simmer gently. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Thicken slightly. Use the back of a ladle to mash some of the beans against the pot sides, or pulse an immersion blender 2–3 times for a lightly creamy body while keeping plenty of whole beans intact.
- Add the greens. Stir in the chopped kale and simmer until tender but still vibrant, 4–6 minutes.
- Finish and balance. Remove the rosemary stems, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice (if using) and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves. Taste and season with salt and several grinds of black pepper.
- Serve. Ladle into warm bowls. Top with grated Parmesan, a thread of good olive oil, and a sprinkle of the remaining chopped rosemary. Add more red pepper flakes if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 1150mgFiber: 13gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 6200IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 5.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
