The Best Tuscan Bean Soup Recipe
On chilly fall or dreary winter days I crave comfort food and there’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of Tuscan Bean Soup. Made with a short list of inexpensive, easy to find ingredients, this foolproof recipe will become a new addition to your dinner rotation. Although the ingredients may seem simple and basic, when they’re cozied up together in the pot, the smell of all the beautiful fresh herbs and spices, not to mention the bacon, will make your house smell amazing. You’ll be chomping at the bit to get a bite of this delicious bean soup!
Bacon – I like to use the thicker cut bacon slice and chop it all up. You can sub this with some Italian pancetta. Olive Oil – Substitute with sunflower, safflower or avocado oil. Onion – Any onion will do, yellow, white or red. Sausage – I prefer to go with a smoked sausage all cut up in small pieces, but you can use raw sausage meat as well. Garlic – Fresh is always best! Minced. Beans – Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained. You can use your preference of beans – kidney, white beans, navy and black eyed beans also work great. Chicken Broth – I always prefer to use low sodium, or you can make your own using my recipe here. Cream – I used heavy cream, half and half or even milk can be used for a lighter fare. Seasoning – I went with a sweet paprika here, but smoked paprika would also be wonderful. Herbs – Fresh rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Seasoning – You’ll need some salt and black pepper to taste.
Cook The Meat
First, you’ll want to crisp up the bacon. To do so add the bacon to a large Dutch oven or soup up and fry it until crispy. Next, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the bacon fat in there and add the olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Next, add the onion and the sausage and cook until the onion is translucent and the sausage is slightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, for another minute or so.
Add Remaining Ingredients
You’ll wan to now add the beans, the broth, heavy cream, paprika, the herbs and half of the cooked bacon. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
Cook The Soup
Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the soup seems too thick for, feel free to add more water, or if you prefer a thicker soup, add another can of beans.
Garnish And Serve
All that’s left to do is to garnish the soup with the leftover bacon and serve with your favorite crusty bread. If you like you can even sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
Other Ingredients You Can Add
If you want to add a few more vegetables to your soup. Here are some suggestions:
Celery Spinach Carrot Zucchini Kale
Leftovers
Store leftover Tuscan bean soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.
Freezing
You can also freeze your soup, which is a huge time saver for future meals! Make sure your soup has completely cooled, then place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for 2-6 months.
Other Delicious Soup Recipes To Try
Leftover Ham and Bean Soup Crockpot Country Sausage and Bean Soup Minestrone Cream Of Mushroom Soup Vegetable Beef Soup Mexican Pork Stew Cabbage Soup Red Lentil Chicken Soup Mom’s Pork And Beans Black Bean Soup Pasta e Fagioli
