White bean soup is one of my favorite everyday dinners! Tons of flavor, a snap to put together thanks to canned beans, and a family pleaser. All of which makes this recipe perfect for weeknight meals.
Hello, all.
If you love soup, you need this Italian beans soup in your life!
It’s creamy (without any cream!), satisfying, without any fussy ingredients, and so easy to make. Bean soups are something I make A LOT of in my house, from Tortilla Soup to Black Bean Soup to Pasta e Fagioli, and this recipe has definitely earned a place in my dinner rotation.
What do you need?
- Cannellini Beans – While you can use other white beans, I prefer cannellini for their size and tenderness. You’ll need two cans, drained.
- Pancetta – Go for a diced packet or thick sliced you can dice yourself.
- Vegetables – Onions, carrots, and garlic. These make for a flavorful soup base.
- Parmesan Rind – The secret of infusing stock with tons of flavor! You can hold onto rinds in the freezer until you need them.
- Stock – Vegetable or chicken stock, low or no sodium.
- Rosemary – Fresh if you can get it or you can sub in dried.
How to Make This
To make white bean soup saute onions, carrots, and garlic then simmer in stock with a parmesan rind. Puree until smooth; add beans, pancetta, and rosemary and serve.
Saute Pancetta
Start by sauteing the pancetta – crisping it up and rendering out the fat. That fat is what you are going to use for the vegetables. Then scoop out the crunchy pieces and set them aside.
Soften Vegetables
Now add in the the carrots, onions, and garlic and saute until soft. They can get a little brown but you’re looking for them to be soft and the onions translucent.
Simmer and Puree
Add stock and a parmesan rind and simmer for a bit to bring the flavors together. Then puree it all up. (After removing the rind!) This is now your ‘creamy’ soup base.
Finish Up
To finish, add in the beans and rosemary and simmer it a little more, then stir in the reserved pancetta and serve with a bit of olive oil and some more parmesan.
If you try my recipe, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Stay Safe, Annemarie
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 5-6 oz diced pancetta
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 4 cups chicken stock, low or no sodium
- 1 parmesan rind, or 1/2 cup shredded added off heat
- 2 cans cannellini beans, drained
- 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- In a soup pot saute the pancetta on medium heat until browned and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Remove the pancetta to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Reduce heat to low. Add onion and carrot. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Saute about 5 minutes, then add garlic and continue until the vegetables are soft, 2-3 minutes more.
- Pour in stock and bring to a boil on high, then lower heat to keep the soup at a simmer. Add the parmesan rind and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Take out the parmesan rind. Then puree the soup in a blender until smooth.
- Add pureed stock back to pot along with beans and pancetta. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes to bring the flavors together.
- Take off heat and add rosemary. Serve with olive oil and shavings of parmesan.
Notes
- Pancetta: Can’t find it at the store? Use thick sliced bacon instead. The biggest difference is the soup will have a smoky flavor with bacon.
- Rosemary: Substitute 1 teaspoon dried and add it when you add the beans to the soup.
Dragana says
I tried this today and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe