This Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup is easy to make and packed full of the flavors of Tuscany.
Soup and crusty bread is the ultimate comfort food, and this soup is so easy to make!!! With a few cans of beans and some rosemary, garlic, and parmesan, you can have a creamy bean soup that is packed with flavor and ready in under 20 minutes!
The perfect meal for winter, this soup tastes delicious but is remarkably healthy. Pureeing white beans gives your soup a smooth, creamy texture without the need to add heavy cream!
How to make Tuscan White Bean Soup
This soup really is so simple to make.
- Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil.
- Add some drained canned white beans.
- Pour over vegetable broth and some pureed beans.
- Add in rosemary and Italian herbs.
- Simmer until hot and season with salt and pepper
- Finish with parmesan and fresh spinach.
What beans to use for Creamy Bean Soup
This soup uses canned beans! Which makes it quick to cook and super convenient!
The following beans all work well in this Tuscan White Bean Soup:
Navy Beans (Pea Beans) - these are small, oval-shaped beans with a creamy texture.
Great Northern Beans - larger in size than navy beans, great northern beans have a mild nutty flavor and a creamy texture.
Cannellini Beans - larger still, cannellini beans have a longer shape and a soft tender earthy flavor.
Baby Lima Beans (Butterbeans) - the largest on this list, baby lima beans/butterbeans have a smooth texture and a rich, buttery flavor.
Things to add to White Bean Soup
This Creamy Tuscan Bean Soup recipe is delicious as written, but if you want to change it up a little, try these adaptions:
- Cook bacon or pancetta in olive oil before you start, then use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and use the oil for cooking the onion and garlic. Add the crispy bacon to the soup as you serve.
- Add some chopped mushrooms to the onion mixture at the beginning of the recipe.
- Use kale or arugula instead of spinach.
- Instead of the parmesan, serve the soup garnished with mini mozzarella balls.
- Instead of rosemary, add fresh basil to the soup when it has finished cooking
- Add red pepper flakes to the finished soup.
- Add the zest of a lemon to the soup and serve with lemon wedges.
- Add leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to the soup and allow it to heat through.
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Get the Recipe
Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cans white beans (15 oz./420g cans) (see note 1)
- 1 onion (see note 2)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup fresh spinach tightly packed
- ½ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Drain the remaining two cans and set them to one side. Then empty the contents of the remaining cans of beans (beans and liquid) into a blender and puree until smooth.3 cans white beans (15 oz./420g cans)
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic cloves.1 onion5 cloves garlic
- Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the 2 cans of drained beans to the pan and stir to coat in the olive oil.
- Tip in the pureed beans, then rinse the blender out with the vegetable broth and add this to the soup.2 cups vegetable broth
- Add the rosemary, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary1 teaspoon Italian seasoning½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon pepper
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes over low heat.
- Remove the soup from the heat and add in the grated parmesan and fresh spinach leaves.1 cup fresh spinach½ cup grated parmesan
- Stir to melt the cheese and wilt the spinach.
- Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- You can use Navy Beans (Pea Beans), Great Northern Beans, Cannellini Beans, or Baby Lima Beans (Butterbeans) for this soup.
- Any onion will work- white, brown, or red.
- Feel free to substitute in chicken stock.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Susan Nelson says
Love this soup! Creamy, tasty and so simple to make. It’s a favorite at my house.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
It is such a wonderful easy soup isn't it!
Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Arlene Smith says
I haven’t tried it yet although it sounds great
The high sodium put me off a little. I have high B/P
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Arlene,
Half of the sodium within the recipe comes from the broth/stock. So you can pick a low sodium or no sodium variety and that will drop the sodium by up to half.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Valerie says
Hi! Can’t wait to make it, this recipe looks delicious and it’s the first that I’ve seen where a can of the beans are blended before hand, usually the recipes I see blend everything after, I prefer your method! Just my preference to have the whole soup blended as not a fan of the texture of whole beans! Thank you!
Hope says
Pleasantly surprised how simple it is to fix and easy. A great way for me to eat more protein in my diet and a great vegetarian option! Thanks. Hope.
K.Schott says
super yummy and easy to make!!!
Tammy Geubelle says
I am so happy to come across your recipe. I made it for Lent. A big hit for sure. My husband and I loved it with grilled cheese sandwiches. Perfect for a rainy cold night. I see this being a new addition for dinner around our house.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh I am so happy you enjoyed it Tammy.
I love how easy it is!
Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
Cx
Deiana Christley says
I made this and it’s absolutely delicious! I added chicken, I also used both rosemary and fresh basil. Sooo good! I will definitely add this to my regular list of soups. ❤️
Karen says
This soup is delicious and now a family favorite! Thank you for sharing, Claire!!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh I am so happy you enjoyed it Karen 🙂
Cx
Toni Spott says
If I’m making this a day ahead should I wait to put in the spinach until the next day?
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Toni,
Yes, like you said, I would wait and just add it when you reheat it 🙂
Cx
Sharon says
For such simple ingredients this soup has so much flavor! Definitely a winning choice when things are running low in our kitchen.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh I am so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Debie says
I made this soup it was very easy to put together but I found it to be very bland. I added celery red and yellow pepper for color. I didn’t have any ham that might have helped to give it more flavor. I probably won’t make this again
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Debie,
Ham would definitely add lots of lovely flavor. But the soup should be plenty flavourful without it.
I am thinking the issue was probably seasoning. Especially if you used low sodium broth.
Also how fresh was the rosemary as older rosemary doesn't have the same oils in it so that can impact the flavor.
Cx
MJ says
This was so easy to put together! Very tasty and smelled wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Tammy says
Can you add some half n half to this recipe. What about chicken? Thank you.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Tammy,
I quite often add chicken to this, especially if we have some leftover rotisserie chicken or roast chicken. I usually add the cooked chicken for 2-3 minutes at the end of the simmering time.
I haven't tried adding half n half, but I think it would add a really nice extra level of cream. I'd add it toward the end of the simmering.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Lisa Ruiz says
Can you sub frozen spinach
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I haven't tried it, but I am sure it would work fine.
Cx
Kathy says
This looks so delicious. Can it be made a day ahead? Thank you.
Claire McEwen says
It certainly can Kathy 🙂
Cx
Sandy says
The dish looks very tasty though I've yet to try it. Other than the fresh spinach, I have everything else to hand which is great! Just one question, by 'Italian seasoning' do you mean dried Italian herbs (i.e. the mixed herbs that would normally come in a jar)?
One further point is that I must compliment you on how the method is set out - with the ingredients and amounts mentioned below each stage. Although I try and do as much prep as possible, I still find myself dodging between the method and the list of ingredients. You add a simple but effective touch.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Sandy, yes jut dried Italian herbs that come in the small jars or packets.
I like the Italian blend for this soup, bt if you have French mixed dried herbs or regular dried mixed herbs, they will work too.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Judy says
I joined WW last month and I make this soup every week . I shared it with friends and they loved it.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so glad Judy! It is one of my winter favs 🙂
Cx
Chris says
This was a great recipe, chicken broth and a bit of lemon juice! Warm on a cold night, very satisfying, healthy and easy to put together!
Thanks so much!
Patty K says
This soup is amazing! So creamy and full of flavor. I’m always tweaking recipes, I have a hard time not adding a little extra of this or that but I made this exactly as listed and it does not need anything more. It’s a perfect meal paired with some French bread and a glass of red wine. 😉
Thanks for the easy to follow and fantastic recipe!
sheelagh branston says
Is it a 1/2 cup or cup of parmesan?
Claire McEwen says
Hi,
It is 1/2 a cup of grated parmesan 🙂
Cx
Meredith says
Excellent! So flavorful! Debating if I would purée two cans of beans. Will definitely make again.