Italian Tuscan Bean Soup Recipes

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• For the beans, Cut the pancetta into 1 inch thick slices, 2 inches long.
• In a large stock pot, cook the pancetta over medium heat until golden brown in color, then add the quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, and cook a couple of minutes in the oil rendered from the pancetta.
• Add the beans (drained), bay leaf, and 12 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for about an hour and a half, or until the beans are almost tender.
• Remove from the heat, cover and let site 30 minutes.
• Drain the beans reserving the cooking water, and remove the bay leaf, onion, and garlic cloves.
• For the soup, heat the oil in the stock pot, and once hot add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, then add the cooked beans, rosemary sprig, and 5 cups of the cooking liquid.
• Cook on low for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the rosemary sprig and discard.
• Remove 1/3 of the bean mixture and pulse in a food processor until creamy.
• Alternately, you could use a wand blender and blend part of the beans.
• Return the pureed beans to the pot, and mix.
• Serve the soup in bowls, with a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkling of cracked black pepper on each.
• Sprinkle a little fresh herbs just before serving.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the capicola, red onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 2 cups water, the parmesan rind, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parmesan rind.
• Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread; rub both sides with the whole garlic clove and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Stir the escarole into the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Top each serving of soup with a piece of toast. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP (RIBOLLITA)

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir vegetable stock, cannellini beans, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and pesto into vegetable mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat; saute spinach until wilted, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauteed spinach into each serving bowl; ladle soup over spinach.

TUSCAN-STYLE ITALIAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in large nonstick saucepan on medium heat. Add escarole, ham and carrots; cook 5 min. or just until escarole starts to wilt, stirring occasionally.
• Add bouillon cubes and water; stir. Bring to boil. Stir in pasta sauce; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min., stirring occasionally.
• Stir in beans and pasta; cook 10 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

HEARTY TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 4 quart soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and thyme and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and bay leaf.
• Drain the beans and roughly mash 1/2 a can of beans. Add the beans and mashed beans to the pot.
• Squeeze the water from the thawed spinach and add to the pot.
• Season with salt and pepper and simmer for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Add the macaroni and cook until tender according to package directions. (About 10 minutes.).
• Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan and/or pecorino romano.

RUSTIC TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Sweat the Carrot, Onion, Celery and Garlic in the Olive Oil for a few minutes. Add a small pinch of Sea Salt at this stage.
• Next add the Tomatoes, Sage, Thyme, Water and Stock powder and season with a little fresh ground Pepper.
• Stir in the Cabbage and Kale, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through but still remain vibrant in colour.
• Add the Beans towards the end and just heat them through in the soup.

TUSCAN BEAN, CHICKEN, AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Cook sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat until cooked through and completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
• Cook and stir onion with the sausage until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add squash and garlic; cook and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Pour chicken broth, white beans, and diced tomatoes into the pot; stir. Add spinach, red wine, and Italian seasoning; bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until hot, about 15 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Pecorino-Romano cheese to serve.