White Beans and Kale make this soup a meal
A hearty soup is so perfect to prepare in the Fall and Winter months. This Tuscan White Bean soup has kale added to it so it is delicious and super healthy and packed with vitamins. I know that often when you think about making soup you imagine hours at the stove but this soup is very easy to prepare and can be ready in one hour. I use canned Cannellini beans so that I do not need to soak the beans for hours before starting to make the soup. I also use frozen chopped organic kale that I always keep in my freezer. You can absolutely use dry beans and soak them as directed and you can use fresh kale if you prefer. I wanted to simplify the recipe so that you had most of the ingredients already in your kitchen ready to go when you decide to make soup. In the Winter months I like to keep some vegetables like spinach and kale in my freezer so I always have the ability to throw together a soup, pasta or omelette if I get hungry and don’t feel like going out in the cold. You can buy packaged vegetables or buy fresh and freeze your own. Every Fall I buy ears of fresh corn at the farmer’s market and cut the kernels off and freeze small pre-portioned bags. The corn can be used all winter long and is perfect for sautéing with butter or adding to stews, pasta or salads.
I use chicken broth in this recipe and prosciutto but you can leave out the prosciutto and use vegetable broth if you would like to keep the soup vegetarian and vegan. The key to making the soup creamy and delicious is to puree one can of beans with 2 cups of the broth before adding the rest of the beans. So one can is pureed with some of the simmering broth and put back into the soup and then the other can of beans is drained and added whole to the soup. The result is a heartier soup with an ample amount of whole Cannellini beans. Please be careful during this step because broth will be hot.
After you add the beans it is time to add the kale. The soup is almost done at this point so you should taste it to see if you need to add more salt and pepper.
Can I Make This Soup Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can keep this soup for 5 days in your refrigerator. You can also freeze the soup if you want it to last longer. I do not like keeping soup frozen for more than 2 months so remember to write the date on the container before putting it in the freezer. This is a good habit anytime you put leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator.
What Should I Serve The Tuscan White Bean Soup With?
Serve this soup with a good amount of fresh grated Parmigiana Reggiano on top, some crusty Italian bread, a simple salad and you have a delicious, easy meal.
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 oz prosciutto – cubed
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ small onion – chopped
- 2 carrots – chopped
- 2 celery stalks – chopped
- 1½ cups can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 cans Cannellini beans
- 2 cups chopped kale
Instructions
- In a stock pot or dutch oven add Olive Oil
- Add prosciutto and garlic and saute for 2 min
- Add onion, carrot and celery
- Saute until starting to soften, around 5 minutes
- Add crushed tomatoes and cook for a few minutes
- Add chicken broth, water, bay leaf, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper
- Simmer for 30 minutes
- Remove 2 cups of soup and put in food processor with 1 can of drained beans
- Puree until smooth and put back into soup pot
- Add the second can of drained beans and chopped kale
- Simmer for 5 minutes then taste to see if you need more salt or pepper
- Grate fresh Parmigiana Reggiano on top before serving