4.7 from 153 votes
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Tuscan white bean soup is a classic Mediterranean meal made for hungry folks and chilly nights!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 349 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 2/3 pound Italian sweet sausage meat
- fresh cracked black pepper
- olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 48 ounces chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 1 bundle fresh rosemary and fresh thyme stems, tied
- 30 ounces canned white beans or cannellini beans, drained
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 bunch spinach leaves (remove any thick stems)
- 1 tsp fresh minced rosemary
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- Grind a layer of black pepper on a dinner plate. I use a medium coarse grind. Scoop sausage meat with a small 1 inch scoop and roll into round balls, then roll the balls in the pepper to lightly coat. Add more pepper as needed.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a heavy soup pot with olive oil and heat until hot. Brown the sausage meatballs, in two batches, until browned all over, and then remove to a plate. I like to give the pot a shake and swirl right after adding the meatballs to keep them round and get all sides an initial browning.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and add more olive oil if needed. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables just start to soften.
- Add the broth, saffron, and herbs to the pot, along with the beans and meatballs. Give everything a good stir and bring up to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, just until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the cream and Parmesan and then add the rosemary and spinach. Bring back to a simmer and taste to adjust the salt if necessary. If the soup seems to need brightening, I will sometimes add a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of sherry vinegar.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- recipe adapted from The Bettered Blondie
Nutrition Information
Calories
349kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
30g
(10%)
Protein
18g
(36%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
52mg
(17%)
Sodium
1032mg
(43%)
Potassium
1092mg
(31%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
8151IU
(163%)
Vitamin C
27mg
(30%)
Calcium
234mg
(23%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 349
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 349kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 52mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 1032mg | 43% |
| Potassium | 1092mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 8151IU | 163% |
| Vitamin C | 27mg | 30% |
| Calcium | 234mg | 23% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.