Tuscan White Bean Soup
This creamy Tuscan white bean soup is filled with vegetables and cannellini beans for a hearty soup that is healthy & delicious!
I recently found myself with a pantry full of cannellini beans and while I’d normally use them in this vegan chickpea chili recipe, I wanted to try something new. I was craving a creamy tomato-based soup, so I decided to make a Tuscan white bean soup! While this might not be an authentic recipe, I was inspired by this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen and decided to put my own spin on it. I love how it turned out!
Why I Love This Recipe
This soup is made with a whole bunch of healthy ingredients, so it’s an easy way to add lots of vegetables to your dinner routine. It also reheats really well, so it’s perfect for a meal prep recipe. This recipe is also a really budget-friendly meal, so if you’re trying to keep your grocery costs down, give this one a try! I also love the way the egg and bean liquid create a lusciously creamy texture without any actual cream!
Tuscan White Bean Soup Ingredients
- Onion– I used a small yellow onion but you can substitute it with white onion, if needed.
- Celery– Celery adds additional flavor and texture to the base of the soup.
- Carrots– Carrots add an earthy sweetness to this recipe.
- Garlic– A little garlic adds depth to the flavor of the broth.
- Olive oil– The oil helps soften the vegetables and enhance the flavors.
- Diced tomatoes– Tomatoes create a rich, flavorful broth and help thicken the soup.
- Red pepper flakes– I love the spiciness this adds to the soup but you can leave it out if you want to keep the flavor mild or if you wanted to keep this recipe kid-friendly!
- Vegetable broth– Look for a low-sodium vegetable broth so you can control the saltiness of the soup.
- Cannellini beans– These small, creamy beans are sometimes called white kidney beans. We will also use the liquid from the beans to create a thick broth.
- Egg- Whisking an egg into the bean liquid and then stirring it into the broth creates a luscious texture.
- Escarole– This leafy green is added at the end of cooking so it softens slightly.
What are Cannellini Beans?
Cannellini beans are small, creamy white beans that are sometimes called white kidney beans. They’re often used in Italian cooking. This recipe also uses the liquid from the beans to create a thick broth, so I recommend looking for low-sodium or no-salt-added beans. You can use dried cannellini beans in this recipe, but you’ll miss out on the liquid needed to thicken the broth. It can still be delicious, it just won’t be quite as creamy.
Substitution Ideas
If you wanted to keep this recipe vegan, you can skip the egg and Parmesan cheese. Or try this vegan white bean soup recipe! You can substitute kale or spinach in place of the escarole. If you’re using kale, remove the stems and tear the leaves into small pieces before adding them to the pot. You can use whole canned tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes. Just chop the tomatoes in a food processor before adding them to the soup. If you don’t like the idea of adding the egg to the broth, you can skip it! Feel free just to add the bean liquid. The egg adds an additional creaminess to the soup, but it’s not mandatory.
This is so incredibly comforting and delicious. Its going to be my go to soup all season long!
Such a great hearty and filling soup. I love your trick of adding the bean liquid and egg to make it extra creamy, will be keeping this recipe in our meal plan rotation for sure.
Made, served to dinner guest And it is so good I ate more for a late breakfast the following morning.  I used kale because I couldn’t find the vegetable listed.  Really great.