Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale
When you want a simple soup that feels both comforting and nourishing, this Tuscan White Bean Soup checks every box. It's built on a foundation of creamy white beans, simmered with tender carrots, kale, and savory Italian herbs coming together in a broth that's satisfying but not heavy. Whether you're cozying up on a chilly evening or prepping meals for the week, this soup is a reliable go-to.
Ready in about 40 minutes and packed with plant-based protein and fiber, it's one of those "make once, savor all week" recipes. It warms beautifully and builds flavor over time, so leftovers are as delicious-and sometimes even better-than the first bowl!
This soup balances nutrition and comfort: white beans provide creamy softness and protein, while carrots and kale add texture, color, and vitamins. A touch of olive oil gives it richness, while aromatics like garlic, onion, and Italian herbs add savory warmth. Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few red pepper flakes for heat, or with crusty bread, grain bowls, or a crisp side salad for a heartier meal.
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It's also easy to customize: swap kale for spinach or Swiss chard, add chopped tomatoes during the last few minutes, or stir in a parmesan rind for deeper umami.
Perfect for lunches or a cozy dinner, this soup is endlessly adaptable to your pantry and preferences. A slice of homemade pizza or side of pasta would also be delicious. Or make it a soup and sandwich combo and serve with this Veggie Hummus Sandwich with Sweet Potato.
If you're looking for more comforting soup recipes, try my Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili, Potato Leek Soup, Lasagna Soup, Miso Noodle Soup, or Black Bean Soup.
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Ingredients
The foundation for this Tuscan White Bean Soup is an aromatic blend of onion, carrot, celery, shallot, and garlic - the most delicious soup starter, and it smells amazing, too.
These veggies are simmered in vegetable broth with cannellini beans, which add protein and hearty texture, and Italian seasoning for flavor. Stir in some kale (I like lacinato) for an extra boost of color and nutrients.
The result is an incredibly nourishing and convenient plant-based soup.
Instructions
Simmer the vegetables, beans, and seasoning in broth.
Blend about half of the soup in a blender until smooth and creamy.
Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir in kale.
Serve and enjoy!
Hint: Drain and rinse canned beans to reduce the total sodium levels in this soup. You can always add your own salt to taste.
Substitutions
Need to make a substitution? Here are a few ingredients that can be easily swapped.
- Vegan and dairy free: Omit parmesan cheese or substitute vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
- Gluten free: Serve with gluten-free bread.
- Cannellini Beans: Substitute another type of white bean, such as great northern beans or navy beans. Dried beans can also be used if they are cooked in advance. Substitute 3 cups of cooked beans for 2 (15-ounce) cans.
- Kale: Use spinach instead of kale.
Variations
Want to change up the flavors and make this recipe your own? Here are a few ideas.
- Vegetarian Bean and Sausage - Add chopped vegetarian sausage.
- Tomato - Include a can of crushed tomato.
- Potato and Bean - Add chopped gold potatoes. See this vegan potato soup recipe on my website!
Making Ahead and Storage
This recipe is great for making ahead, and it works well as a freezer meal, too.
- Making ahead: Store the prepared soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
- Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove over low-medium heat, stirring often, until warmed through. Or reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warm. If the soup thickens, stir in a splash of water or broth to thin it out.
Top tip
Adding some of the soup to the blender makes the texture thick and creamy. Blend more of the soup, including the starchy beans, for thicker, creamier texture. You can also skip the blending step altogether to get a thinner, more broth-based texture.
FAQ
Traditional Tuscan soup with white beans is often called Ribollita. It's a rustic Italian dish made with simple, hearty ingredients like cannellini beans, kale or other greens, vegetables, and day-old bread. The name "Ribollita means "reboiled," referring to the way the soup was traditionally reheated and thickened the next day. It's a cozy, nourishing meal that highlights the beauty of humble, plant-forward ingredients.
Tuscan-style white bean soups often use a mix of fragrant herbs and spices like garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and rosemary, thyme, or sage. These herbs create that classic Italian-inspired flavor without overpowering the natural sweetness of the beans and vegetables. My version keeps it simple with garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning blend.
Yes, Tuscan white beans (such as cannellini, great northern, or navy beans) are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and micronutrients like iron and folate. As a dietitian, I love cooking with white beans because they support steady energy and satisfaction, especially when paired with vegetables and olive oil, as in this recipe.
Cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans) are a type of white bean. Additional white bean varieties include great northern beans, navy beans, lima beans, and pinto beans.
One of the primary ways to thicken white bean soup is to blend a portion of the cooked soup, including the starchy beans, and then return it to the pot with the unblended portion. With this method, there are no additional thickening agents required.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Tuscan White Bean Soup:
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📖 Recipe
Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Large pot
- blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 medium shallot minced (optional)
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped kale (1-pound bunch lacinato kale)
Optional for serving:
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh bread
Instructions
- Add oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, carrot, and celery, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Stir in shallot (if using) and garlic and cook 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in cannellini beans and Italian seasoning and stir until evenly mixed. Pour in broth, bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
- Transfer about half of the soup to a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds, or until smooth. (You can also blend about half of the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.) Pour blended soup back into the pot and stir until evenly mixed. Stir in kale and cook 4 minutes, or until tender.
- Serve with parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh bread if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Vegan and dairy free: omit parmesan cheese or substitute vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
- Vegetarian: use vegetarian parmesan cheese.
- Gluten free: Serve with gluten-free bread.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days or store in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat in a pot over low-medium heat on the stove, stirring often, until warmed through. Or reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until warm.
- Nutrition facts are estimates only and do not include optional ingredients for serving.
I was suspicious of the amount of garlic, and also the herb addition, but I made it exactly to recipe (except that I used home soaked and cooked beans) anyway. (I normally muck with recipes right off the bat, but this one made me curious.)
I was delighted! It was so so tasty and filling. Each of my six children enjoyed it and ate the whole lot- even the very fussy six year old!
So glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks, Lauren!
This soup is delicious, really tasty and wholesome and simple to make.
Thanks, Laura!
I've made this recipe twice now.And have used various canned beans.I've had in my pantry and it's still taste delicious.Every time this is a fantastic recipe especially For a cold day
Thanks, Nadia! So glad you're enjoying the recipe.