Crisp Toasted Bread and Melty Broiled Cheese Should be Mandatory on all Soups.
Starting with this Tuscan Soup with Cannellini Beans, I think we should consider instituting a mandatory bread and cheese topping policy for all soups. When I’m ruler of the world this will be at the top of my priority list. Vote for me.
This easy and super delicious soup is loaded with tender beans, savoury vegetables, and a little splash of white wine, all simmered together in a rich and creamy vegetable broth. And THEN!!! As if that wasn’t enough… the finished soup is topped with crispy toasted baguette slices and melty Gruyère cheese, french onion soup style, which makes it absolutely, irresistibly, amazing.
You may already know that bread and cheese is my favourite food group and so I just couldn’t resist here. I mean why not? Can you think of a single soup that wouldn’t benefit from a bronzed lid of crusty bread and toasted, bubbling cheese? You can’t. Nope. You just can’t.
I ask you… why should french onion get all the fun? Not anymore buster.
Scroll past the recipe if you’re looking for tips, substitutions, questions, etc. and details on how to make this recipe, but if you want to get straight to it, here’s my recipe-ish…
Tuscan Soup with Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 15 oz cans Cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Baguette slices toasted
- Gruyere cheese about 1/2 cup per serving, grated
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add in the diced onion, chopped carrots, and diced celery.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the wine reduces slightly.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, cannellini beans, tomato, bay leaf, oregano, and thyme.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add in the chopped kale, cream and basil or parsley. Cook for another 5 minutes until the kale is tender.
- Divide the soup into oven-safe serving bowls. Top each bowl with baguette slices and a generous layer of cheese.
- Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve.
Tuscan Soup with Cannellini Beans Recipe ingredients, tips, substitutions:
Cannellini Beans – these might just be my very favourite beans and you will sometimes see them labeled “white kidney beans” in the grocery store.. They’re hearty, tender and creamy. We eat them all the time. If you can’t find them or you want a substitute for cannellini beans, just use smaller white beans, like navy beans or northern beans.
Kale – the texture of a big pile of kale stirred in at the end of cooking just can’t be matched, but you can use another green like spinach or chard if you prefer.
Dried Herbs – this recipe calls for dried oregano, dried thyme and a bay leaf. You can use fresh herbs instead, but you’ll want to add extra as the dried herbs are more potent. I’ve also never seen a fresh bay leaf in the wild so if you get your hands on one I’d say give it a go.
Cream – this is what makes this soup it’s rich and extra creamy finish, but if you want to make this dish dairy free you can substitute coconut cream.
Baguette – The topping of crispy, toasted baguette slices and melty cheese is of course optional in this recipe but let me just say that I cannot stress strongly enough how very, very good it is. You can use any other crusty bread, like sourdough, in place of the baguette slices.
Cheese – I like using Gruyére cheese for the topping because it melts well and is super tasty. Any melty cheese will work though, and a little grated parmesan cheese is always a nice addition too.
Tuscan Soup with Cannellini Beans Recipe Variations:
Vegan Version – use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream and a plant-based cheese for the topping.
Sausage Version – crumble and cook a couple of sweet Italian sausages in the skillet before adding in the onions.
Tomatoey Version – Add in a tablespoon of tomato paste right after the wine and add in about 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes along with the broth.
Tuscan Soup with Cannellini Beans recipe, how to make it…
Start by heating some olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced onion, chopped carrots, and diced celery. Let these veggies cook together, stirring occasionally, for about 4-5 minutes or until they start to soften.
Next, add the minced garlic and a good pinch of red pepper flakes. Give it all a good stir and let it cook for another minute until that wonderful garlic aroma fills your kitchen.
Now pour in the white wine. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until it reduces a bit. After that, stir in the vegetable broth, cannellini beans, chopped tomato, bay leaf, oregano, and thyme. Bring the whole mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let the soup simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
Once it’s had a chance to bubble away, toss in the chopped kale and the cream along with the fresh herbs. Let the soup cook for another 5 minutes until the kale becomes tender.
Finally, ladle the soup into oven-safe serving bowls. Place a few slices of baguette on top of each bowl and generously cover the bread with cheese. Pop the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!
looking for some other great soups? try these…
- Minestrone Soup with Fresh Tomatoes
- Broccoli Cheddar Cauliflower Soup – Instant Pot
- Vegetable Orzo Soup with Parmesan & Lemon
- Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
- Vegan Barley Soup
- Potato and Bean Soup
If you like this Tuscan Soup with Cannellini Beans Recipe let me know what you think in the comments below and please find and follow me on Social Media!
