Tuscan White Bean Soup is a comforting soup that’s loaded with flavor from roasted garlic, pancetta, veggies, and herbs. This soup is great as a precursor to a larger meal but is bold enough to shine by itself, or alongside a salad or sandwich.
Tuscan White Bean Soup may be one of the easiest soups you can make.
We love it because it is nourishing, filling, and completely budget-friendly.
It’s also customizable so if you want to make it vegetarian, or vegan you can do that by omitting the chicken stock, pancetta, and Parmigiano Reggiano rind. It will still have incredible flavor thanks to the roasted garlic!
Roasted garlic Tuscan white bean soup is great with a side of garlic bread and a green salad with Italian vinaigrette but also pairs well with sandwiches, like our hot roast beef sandwich with onion jam.
Table of contents
Recipe ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Garlic. An entire head of garlic is roasted for this recipe. This simple addition is easy to make and amplifies the flavor of this soup. The roasted garlic can be made in advance and saved for up to 1 week.
- Beans. I used a bag of dried cannellini beans for this Tuscan white bean soup. If you’re doing the same, be sure to soak and soften the beans overnight or they will not be tender enough for the soup. A great alternative is to use canned cannellini beans that have been drained of their liquid, but not rinsed.
- Pancetta. This adds great flavor to the Tuscan white bean soup. You can also use bacon if you can’t find pancetta. If you’re making vegetarian, omit the pancetta and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
- Stock. Use homemade chicken stock, or a stock made from low-sodium chicken base.
- Rosemary. Roasted garlic and rosemary make a perfect combo and I love how the flavors complement each other in the soup.
- Parmigiano rinds. These are optional but highly recommended!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
First, roast the garlic
- Preheat your oven to 400f and slice off the top 1/4 inch of a head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves. Place the cut side up on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap the garlic in the foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes. (Photo #1)
- Remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to cool. Once cool, gently squeeze the bottom of the garlic head to release the cloves. Note: The roasted garlic can be made up to 1 week ahead to speed up the process. (Photo #2)
Next, make the soup
- Dice 4 ounces of pancetta, 1 large onion, 4 celery ribs, and 3 medium carrots. (Photo #1)
- In a large pot, saute the pancetta in a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat until most of the fat has rendered (about 10 minutes). (Photo #2)
- Next, add the celery, onion, and carrots and continue to cook for 10 more minutes or until the veggies have softened. (Photo #3)
- Add a 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds, then add the roasted garlic cloves. (Photo #4)
- Add 6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock, 1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind (optional), 1 large bay leaf, 3 sprigs of rosemary, and 1 pound of cannellini beans. Note: If using dried cannellini beans, use 1 pound and soak them overnight in a pot of water prior to using in the soup. If using canned, use 3 16-ounce cans that have been drained of their liquid. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. (Photo #5)
- Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash the beans against the side of the pot to help thicken the soup. As an alternative, you can use an immersion blender or regular blender to further thicken. If using either type of blender, remove the rosemary, bay leaf, and Parmigiano rinds prior to blending. Taste test the soup and adjust salt and pepper levels to taste. If you’ve not already done so, remove the rind, rosemary, and bay leaf prior to serving in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and crusty bread. Enjoy! (Photo #6)
The best way to soften dried beans is to soak them overnight. Then in the morning, rinse the beans and place in a pot and add water about an inch higher than the beans and bring to a moderate simmer for 10 minutes. Then, turn the burner to low and cover the pot. Allow them to sit on low heat for an hour or so and check every 30 minutes for tenderness. If your beans are old, they may never soften so make sure the beans you’re using aren’t expired.
Top tips
- Consistency. Some people prefer a looser white bean soup, while others like it on the thicker side. Customize this to your preference when mashing or blending the beans. Blending the beans will yield a thicker, creamier soup. If you wind up with a soup that’s too thick, simply add a touch of water or chicken stock to loosen it back up.
- Parmigiano rinds. We always recommend saving your Parmigiano rinds as they add great flavor to soups, like pasta e fagioli, or sauces. Some Italian grocery stores will sell just the rinds in their cheese section. If you don’t see any, ask the cheesemonger and they’ll likely have some for you.
- Use homemade stock. Homemade chicken stock not only adds superior flavor, it also gives you greater control over the sodium level in your food and I always recommend using it if you can!
Our favorite soups
We love soup, especially in the cooler months. Here are a few of our absolute favorites that we know you’ll love.
- Italian lentil soup – lentils, spinach, carrots, celery, and onion with a touch of tomato.
- Chicken wild rice soup – chunks of chicken, carrots, and celery simmered in a creamy broth with wild rice.
- Escarole and bean soup – potatoes, escarole, and cannellini beans.
- Broccoli cheddar soup – creamy blend of broccoli, carrots, onion, and cheddar topped with burnt broccoli.
- Lemon chicken orzo soup – carrots, celery, onion, and garlic with chicken meat, orzo, and lemon juice.
- Baked potato soup – creamy blend of potatoes, sour cream, and cheddar topped with chives and crumbled bacon.
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Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta diced
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 ribs celery diced
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 1 pound dried cannellini beans soaked overnight and softened, or 3 16-ounce cans
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock plus more for thinning
- 1 head garlic roasted
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 small Parmigiano Reggiano rind optional
- 1 large bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the roasted garlic
- Preheat oven to 400f. Cut off the top 1/4-inch of the garlic, exposing the top of the cloves. Place the head cut side up on a sheet of foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Wrap tightly with the foil and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden and soft.
For the soup
- In a large heavy pot saute the pancetta in olive oil over medium-low heat until most of the fat renders (about 10 minutes). Next, add in the celery, onion, and carrots and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes or until the veggies are softened.
- Add in the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the roasted garlic cloves, chicken stock, Parmigiano rind, bay leaf, rosemary, and beans. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Mash the beans with a wooden spoon against the side of the pot to help thicken the soup. For a thicker soup use an immersion or regular blender.
- Taste test the soup and adjust salt and pepper levels to taste. Remove the Parmigiano rind, rosemary stem, and bay leaf before serving. If the soup is too thick, thin with a bit more stock or water.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan, and crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe assumes that the dried beans have been soaked and softened. See the FAQ above on how to soften beans for more information. You can also use canned beans which are already soft and require no prep other than draining.
- Greens like escarole, spinach, or kale can be added to brighten up the soup.
- The roasted garlic can be prepped in advance and saved in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- For a vegetarian dish use vegetable stock and omit the pancetta, chicken stock, and Parmigiano rind.
- Make sure to serve with plenty of crusty bread, grated cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and hot red pepper flakes.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We have made this soup several times and it has become a family favorite! So far, we have always used canned beans as I haven’t been able to find dried cannellini beans in our area. We have also made it without the pancetta for our vegetarian daughter and she loved it! Note: The first time I made this I used bacon because I didn’t have pancetta and it was excellent!
Another absolutely delicious recipe! Every Sip and Feast recipe I’ve made has been a big hit. Thank you!
I can’t wait to try this soup! I wanted you to know that last week I made your pot roast recipe. It was, hands-down, the most delicious pot roast we’ve ever eaten! Jan Sowalsky Clifton Park, NY!
Hey James — love l your recipes and looking forward to trying this soon. But a question…. I’m confused on the cooking time. Using dried/soaked cannellini beans, is this really done in 20-30 minutes?
Hi John, thanks for the question. If the beans are tender after soaking, yes. If the beans aren’t soft, then it will take longer. Hope that helps!
I made pasta fazool came out excellent last week I made lentils w sausage it was best I ever made never put sausage in it before but will continue to make it that way thank you I use your recipe often and am never disappointed thank you Jim and Tara🥰🐝
Reminds me of my Italian grandmas soup . Hearty and satisfying. Brings back the best memories
Made this tonight, positive reviews all around from my in-house taste testers.
Hi Joe, we’re so happy you and your taste-testers all enjoyed!
This is the best soup I have ever tasted! My husband liked it so much that I’ve made it three times in the span of about two weeks! Incredibly satisfying. This is now one of our routine recipes. Thank you!
Hi Tina, we’re so happy you enjoyed and really appreciate the comment!
This soup is Bomb! I made a garlic confit, and used the cloves and oil from that in the soup. The addition of Parm Reg rind was absolutely smashing. I baked rosemary focaccia and made croutons to garnish the soup. Thank you for this recipe! xx Sara
Hi Sara, we’re so happy you enjoyed the soup and appreciate your comment!
I’ve made this several times and it’s always a winner. I changed it up this time. I prepped last night and threw it all in a crockpot this morning. It was a little thin so next time I’ll use less stock for crockpot. I thickened with a few slices of torn bread. Added some spinach that needed used. Very good. This will be in rotation this winter for sure.
This soup is amazing. The roasted garlic, rind, and rosemary give it a distinct and luscious flavor. Yum!
Hi Kelly, we’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for the comment!
Love this. I have made it a couple of times using bacon (pancetta is pretty expensive here) , a diced potato and chard, (what we in NZ call silverbeet). Been cooking a few of your other recipes too…all winners. Caponata next!! Thanks
Hi Tony, we’re so happy you enjoyed this one and a few others as well. Hope you like the caponata too! Thanks for the comment!
Hi Jim & Tara,
I made this soup twice now and is the best! I love the addition of roasted garlic which gives it a nice mellow garlic flavor. Second time didn’t have pancetta so I substituted Italian sausage which wasn’t as good. From now on I will make the this original recipe. Thanks for another delicious one!
😊❤
Hi Karen, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and thanks so much for the comment!
I made this soup over the weekend and it is OMG good! I added an extra head of roasted garlic as we like a lot of garlic and a 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes as we also like a little extra bite of spice! Absolutely delicious! We will definitely be making this soup again this winter! Up next to try…the lemon chicken orzo! 🙂
Hi Shannon, I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup and really appreciate the comment! Hope you enjoy the chicken orzo as well!
Could you use Navy Beans instead?
Hi Rosemary, yes, you can use navy beans here. Hope you enjoy!
Looks delicious. Could clams be added to this. My husband always orders white bean with clams soup at our favorite restaurant. I’d like to try to make it for him.
Hi Nancy, thanks for the comment. I haven’t tested this recipe with clams but you can try it and see how it turns out. Hope you enjoy!
I love this soup! I use ham because there’s no pancetta here, but it works just fine. Your recipes are so great, and the fact that you don’t gatekeep the ingredients makes it much more fun to make. Thanks for making eating so much fun!
Hi Joseph, I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup and really appreciate the comment and rating. I never want to gatekeep ingredients and glad you’re having fun with the recipes!
so satisfying and delicious. this has a permanent place in our fall and winter meal rotation.
I am so happy to hear this and really appreciate the comment!
I vegetarian-sized the soup following your recipe otherwise and it was FANTASTIC! I did add 1/2 cup white wine but only because I was looking to get rid of it out of my refrigerator. Thanks so much. Enjoy your videos.
Hi Leo, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!
Absolutely love this soup! Have made it about 5 times since I found this recipe. I added an extra roasted garlic to it the last time because we’re garlic loving people and it was also fabulous. With some toasted French bread to go with is wonderful especially on a chilly day. Thank you so much for sharing and providing such great step by step instructions and pics as well, they are so helpful! Cheers!
Hi Elisha, so happy you enjoyed this one and thanks for the comment and review!