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Tuscan White Bean Soup

Tuscan white bean soup with cannellini beans, rosemary broth, and tender kale—thickened by mashing a portion of the beans for a hearty, silky texture. Simmered pancetta adds savory depth and a golden finish with parmesan and olive oil.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cannellini beans
  • 2 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained
Pancetta
  • 4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
Kale
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
Onion
  • 1 onion, diced
Garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Celery
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Broth
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Parmesan rind
  • 1 parmesan rind (optional but adds depth)
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil, parmesan shavings, and crusty bread for serving Use for finishing and serving.
Salt and pepper
  • 0.5 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pancetta
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat, then cook the pancetta until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Sauté aromatics
  1. In the same pot, sauté the onion, celery, and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Build the broth
  1. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, rosemary sprigs, parmesan rind if using, and Italian seasoning, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, keep the heat steady for the next simmering step.
Simmer the beans
  1. Add the cannellini beans and return to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes to meld flavor.
Thicken with mashed beans
  1. Remove the rosemary sprigs and parmesan rind, then mash about a third of the beans in the pot to thicken. Stir until the soup looks slightly creamy with visible whole beans.
Wilt the kale
  1. Add the chopped kale and simmer for 5-8 minutes until wilted. The soup should turn deep green and the kale should be tender.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with olive oil and top with parmesan and pancetta. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Notes

Pro tip: mash the beans directly in the pot using the back of a spoon to create a creamy body without fully puréeing everything. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently. Freezing is best for up to 2 months—kale may soften further. For a lighter version, use turkey bacon or omit pancetta and add a small drizzle of olive oil to keep it dairy-free.