Description
Tuscan White Bean Soup is a cozy, nourishing soup that combines creamy white beans, smoky plant-based bacon alternative, and fresh herbs in a flavorful vegetable broth. Ready in under an hour, this hearty soup is perfect for lunch or dinner and offers a delicious plant-based twist with warm, savory, and herbal notes in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Protein
- 2 cups cannellini or great northern white beans, soaked or canned, rinsed
- 4 strips smoked tempeh, chopped (plant-based alternative to smoked turkey bacon)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Liquids and Oils
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (natural)
- 1 tablespoon grape juice (natural), optional
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery and cook gently until the vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized, developing natural sweetness.
- Cook the smoked tempeh: Add the chopped smoked tempeh to the pot and cook until it releases its smoky aroma and becomes slightly crisp around the edges.
- Add garlic and herbs: Stir in minced garlic, fresh rosemary, and thyme. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, infusing the soup with warm herbal notes.
- Introduce tomatoes and broth: Pour in the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth, stirring to combine all the ingredients and create the flavorful base.
- Simmer the beans: Add the rinsed white beans to the pot along with salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Let the soup simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes to blend the flavors and allow beans to absorb the broth.
- Finish with greens and season: Stir in fresh spinach leaves until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and grape juice if using. Your comforting Tuscan White Bean Soup is now ready to serve.
Notes
- Use soaked dried beans for ideal texture or canned beans for convenience; both work well.
- Sauté vegetables slowly to develop their natural sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Fresh rosemary and thyme provide much better flavor than dried herbs.
- Simmer the soup gently rather than boiling to keep beans tender and broth clear.
- Adjust seasoning gradually, adding salt, pepper, or grape juice to brighten flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Tuscan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Tuscan white bean soup, plant-based soup, creamy bean soup, smoky soup, easy soup recipe, gluten free soup
