Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipes

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN AND GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pan. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pan, add the cream and the pepper Keep warm, covered, over very low heat.
• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill the bread until warm and golden grill marks appear, about 3 minutes a side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.

TUSCAN TOMATO-WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, 3 garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add all but 1/2 cup of the chopped tomatoes, the beans, broth, 1 cup water, the rosemary sprig, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes.
• Discard the rosemary sprig. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt. Return to the pot and cover to keep warm.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Toss with the bread, chopped rosemary, mozzarella and a pinch each of salt and red pepper flakes on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the croutons are golden, 10 minutes. Top each bowl of soup with the croutons and the reserved 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes; drizzle with olive oil.

CREAMY ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook onion and celery in oil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, continually stirring. Stir in beans, chicken broth, pepper, thyme and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for 15 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of the bean and vegetable mixture from soup and set aside.
• In blender at low speed, blend remaining soup in small batches until smooth, (it helps to remove the center piece of the blender lid to allow steam to escape.) Once blended pour soup back into stock pot and stir in reserved beans.
• Bring to a boil, occasionally stirring. Stir in spinach and cook 1 minute or until spinach is wilted. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat and serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven or a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chile, and fennel seed, and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add cannellini beans and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 50 minutes, or until beans are tender.
• Add Tuscan kale. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until kale is tender.
• Serve in a bowl over a slice of bread. Garnish with pancetta, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and crushed red pepper flakes.

SKINNY TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook onion, bacon, and garlic about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in beans; cook 1 minute more. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, dried thyme, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Mash bean mixture slightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in spinach. Let stand, covered, for 1 minute to wilt spinach.
• If desired, serve with toasted baguette slices and/or garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

CREAMY TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over low heat, add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute.
• Add 2 cans cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and rosemary. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to a safe temperature for pureeing. Using an immersion blender or transferring the soup to a blender in batches, completely puree mixture. If the soup seems too thick, add additional broth (the soup should be thinner than baby food but thicker than a brothy soup).
• Return to medium-low heat. Stir in the remaining two cans beans and, if using, the heavy whipping cream. Return to a simmer.
• Taste and season with additional kosher salt and freshly ground pepper if desired. Serve with additional chopped fresh rosemary and a drizzle of olive oil if you like.