Tuscan White Bean Soup
This Tuscan white bean soup recipe is flavorful, creamy, delicious and so comforting that it will warm you up on a chilly day.
I’ve eaten this soup for many years, and I will admit that this soup looks different to the soup I ate as a child.
I’ve experimented with this soup for years and during that time, the Tuscan white bean soup has evolved to this creamy, flavorful soup.
First off, my memory of the soup didn’t include fresh herbs. I also blend the ingredients before adding the grain and didn’t have farro in it. But I love farro so in it goes!
I’m a big soup lover and Christopher has finally joined the soup parade! Here are some soups I have when I have different cravings:
Seafood: New England clam chowder and Paella soup
Classics: Italian wedding soup and French onion soup
Hearty soups: Split pea, Lentil and squash stew.
They are all so delicious and should be tried!
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Helpful tips
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, please get one. There is nothing worse than transferring the contents of your pan to a blender, in batches, to process it to the right consistency. A good immersion blender goes for $50 – $100 and is so worth it, you’ll be wondering why you hadn’t gotten it before.
- Use fresh herbs as it does make a difference, especially in the taste of this dish.
- This dish usually uses borlotti beans (a.k.a cranberry beans and Roman beans), but since I can’t find them locally, good substitutions are Northern beans or Cannellini beans. Some people also add white kidney beans or navy beans.
- I recommend petite diced tomatoes but regular diced are also fine.
- The farro grain comes in many different types (pearled, Italian, etc.) and you could use any of them. I just don’t recommend instant or precooked because I don’t like those textures.
- My practice is to put the farro (or any grain/bean I’m cooking) in a sieve and rinse in a bowl cold water, swishing my hands through whatever I’m washing; empty bowl of water and repeat, twice at minimum, three times is a charm.
How to make this white bean soup
Step one
Gather an onion, carrots and celery. (A)
Step two
Cut the onion and carrots in small chunks. Slice the celery and chop the slices.
Step three
Heat a Dutch oven or medium sized stock pot on medium heat and once it has heated, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once that heats up, add the vegetables. (B)
Step four
Sauté the veggies for 8 minutes and then add 2 teaspoons garlic paste or 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and sauté for 2 minutes. (C)
Step five
Gather the rest of the ingredients – washed farro, fresh rosemary sprigs, sage leaves and petite diced tomatoes, Northern beans and chicken broth. (D)
Step six
Drain the beans.
Add broth, rosemary, sage, tomatoes and beans. (E) First bring to a boil and lower to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes. (F)
Step seven
Remove rosemary and sage but don’t stress if you can’t remove it all.
Use your immersion blender and blend until some of the ingredients have smoothed out but you still have some whole beans and carrots.
Step eight
Add farro, stir and simmer for 30 – 35 minutes.
Transfer the white bean soup into a serving bowl.
Ladle some soup into a few crocks and serve. I served this delicious soup with a salad.
And the overhead shot.
It is one of our favorite bean soups! And I know it will be one of yours too if you try this Tuscan white bean soup recipe. The flavor is truly outstanding.
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (sliced and chopped)
- 1 sprig rosemary (1 – 2)
- 2 leaves sage (2 – 3)
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste (or 2 cloves, crushed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 small can)
- 14 ounces Northern beans
- 1 cup farro (rinsed)
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven on medium and once that has heated, add oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Once that has heated, add onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 8 minutes1 medium onion, 2 medium carrots, 1 stalk celery
- Add garlic paste, salt and sauté for 2 more minutes2 teaspoons garlic paste, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add broth, diced tomatoes, beans, rosemary and sage and simmer for 10 minutes2 leaves sage, 3 cups chicken broth, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 14 ounces Northern beans, 1 sprig rosemary
- Remove rosemary and sage and use an immersion blender and blend until some of the contents is smooth and some whole beans remain
- Add farro and simmer for 30 – 35 minutes. Farro should be al dente but not overcooked1 cup farro
- Either transfer to a serving bowl or ladle soup to some crocks
- Eat
- Smile
- Enjoy
Equipment
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, please get one. There is nothing worse than transferring the contents of your pan to a blender, in batches, to process it to the right consistency. A good immersion blender goes for $50 – $100 and is so worth it, you’ll be wondering why you hadn’t gotten it before.
- Use fresh herbs as it does make a difference, especially in the taste of this dish.
- This dish usually uses borlotti beans (a.k.a cranberry beans and Roman beans), but since I can’t find them locally, good substitutions are Northern beans or Cannellini beans. Some people also add white kidney beans or navy beans.
- I recommend petite diced tomatoes but regular diced are also fine.
- The farro grain comes in many different types (pearled, Italian, etc.) and you could use any of them. I just don’t recommend instant or precooked because I don’t like those textures.
- My practice is to put the farro (or any grain/bean I’m cooking) in a sieve and rinse in a bowl cold water, swishing my hands through whatever I’m washing; empty bowl of water and repeat, twice at minimum, three times is a charm.
