The trees have not begun to shed their leaves. Flowers still remain to be cut. But I do take note of the sun setting earlier and spreading an orange glow over the horizon. In the early mornings I wake and draw a light blanket over my legs. In a few more weeks it will be time for soup! Tuscan White Bean Soup is on my mind and I can’t wait. So into the kitchen and Tuscan White Bean Soup it will be!
Tuscan White Bean Soup is not fancy fare. It is down to earth goodness that will warm you soul. It will also warm your body when winter ice is clinging to the outside window glass. I can practice for January right now as the evenings are no longer hot.
I can even use the herbs that are still planted outside the dining room’s French doors. You can see them below in the center of the photograph of ingredients and directly below the chopped carrots. They are thyme, oregano and a large bay leaf (two small would do). Clockwise from the spinach spinach in the top right corner: Celery, tomato paste, chopped garlic, chopped onions, white wine and pepper flakes. A few additional ingredients are in the recipe below. They are Cannellini white beans, olive oil, vegetable broth and parmigiano cheese. Plus, of course, you may add salt and pepper to you liking.
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz. cans Cannellini or Great Northern white beans
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion chopped
- 2 Carrots chopped
- 2 Celery stalks chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- Thyme
- Oregano
- 2 small Bay Leaves
- 2 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 Cups Spinach
- 3 Tbsp. White Wine
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Grated Parmigiano Cheese For Serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, add olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions and celery. Continue to saute for another seven minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the pot along with the thyme, oregano and bay leaves. Stir until garlic releases its fragrance.
- Add the broth to the pot. Rinse and strain the white beans and add them to the pot too. Bring the soup to a boil but then immediately lower heat to a simmer. Cover the pan leaving a slight gap. Allow the soup to simmer for twenty minutes.
- Depending on how thick you would like your soup, take one to two cups and add to a blender. (Note: careful not to include the bay leaf!) Blend ingredients and return to the soup pot. You will now have a creamy soup while still retaining whole ingredients in the mixture.
- You may now remove the bay leaf from the soup. Add salt and black pepper and a pinch of the red peppers flakes, too. Add spinach and let simmer until the leaves are wilted (I chopped the large leaves to smaller pieces)
- Serve the soup with small bowls of grated parmigiano cheese and red pepper flakes on the side. I also served crusty bread as my only side.
I hope you enjoy Tuscan White Bean Soup as much as I do. I always try to make extra portions so I can freeze a few servings and freeze them. They are nice to find there on days I have nothing in the fridge that entices me at lunch time. You can find another great soup for freezing, Tomato with Orange, here: https://roadtosuchness.com/tomato-orange-soup/
