Tuscan White Bean Soup (Deliciously Creamy, Ribollita Inspired)

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This Tuscan White Bean Soup is hearty and so full of flavor, perfect for winter days when you need a bowl of comfort food. It's deliciously creamy and topped with crusty bread to soak in that goodness, making you want more with every spoon!

Tuscan white bean soup served in bowls with crusty bread

Not only is it delicious, but this Tuscan white bean soup is also nutritious and packed with veggies and leafy kale. The star however are the white beans, also known as cannellini beans. They're not only in the soup, but some of the beans are pureed to create a beautiful creamy broth which pairs perfectly with the crunchy croutons.

Whether it's a cold winters day, or you just need a cozy soup, its definitely a dish to try. I love to make a batch for meal prep so dinner is then sorted for days! The longer the soup sits, it actually tastes better and better which is a bonus. This nourishing Tuscan white bean soup is healthy and easy to make, and is actually naturally vegan too! Just make sure to skip on adding the parmesan rind.

Some more simple delicious soups to try are my Italian pastina and veggie noodle soup.

This recipe is actually inspired by an Italian soup named Ribollita or Zuppa Toscana, which originates from the Tuscany region of Italy. The name Ribollita translates in Italian to “reboiled”, as traditionally the soup was prepared and reboiled with the addition of stale bread to create a thicker and more filling soup. I personally prefer to top the soup with golden croutons or toasted bread for some extra texture and crunch. You can make it either way 🙂

Tuscan white bean soup, Ribollita, is a peasant style dish, which has a nickname cucina povera, meaning "poor kitchen" cooking style, and is personally one of my favorite types of home cooking. It’s a popular term for many Italian dishes, using humble simple ingredients that are very cheap to make. You likely have these ingredients lying around or you can use leftover veggies. It however still contains amazing flavor making it not only delicious but affordable.

Table of Contents

Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to make Tuscan White Bean Soup
Tips and Tricks
Storage, Reheating and Freezing
FAQs
More Delicious Soups
Recipe
Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

Easy peasy: This recipe takes only a few simple steps, trust me anyone can make it!
Affordable: Using humble staple ingredients that are affordable for families and a reason why ribollita is considered peasant style cooking
Nutritious: This Tuscan soup is super healthy and nutritious, filled with a range of vegetables and cannellini beans which are high in fibre and plant based protein
No waste recipe: As it uses stale bread and can also be used to make with any leftover veggies you have laying around

Tuscan white bean soup in a large pot ready to be served

Ingredients and Substitutions

White beans also known as cannellini beans are the stars of the show! Traditionally dried beans would be soaked overnight then cooked, but I have used canned beans for a faster cheat method. You can also substitute with white kidney beans or navy beans if needed
Tuscan kale also known as dinosaur kale, lacinato kale or cavolo nero in Italian, is much milder in taste and texture than regular kale. Packed with nutrients with an earthy flavor and dark green color. You can still of course use regular kale, swiss chard or even spinach for easy substitutes
Celery, carrots, onion make the soffrito and are sautéed as the base of the soup along with garlic. It adds so much flavor and sweetness. Just make sure to chop them all finely
Potato is added not only for an extra vegetable, but also to help thicken and give more substance to the soup. Any potato will work
Vegetable broth keeps this creamy white bean soup vegetarian and actually vegan too. I always opt for low sodium organic vegetable stock. You can also substitute with chicken broth if you prefer
Canned peeled tomatoes gives a lovely sweetness and acidity. Fresh ripe tomatoes can also be used or even tomato paste as a substitute, if you don't have canned tomatoes on hand
Stale bread is used to make crunchy golden croutons or simply added to the soup as a thickener. Traditionally in ribollita, Tuscan bread is used which doesn't contain any salt and is a lot more tough when it becomes stale. You can use ciabatta or sourdough bread, or a gluten-free option if needed
Extra virgin olive oil is the heart of Italian cooking of course
Fresh herbs including rosemary, thyme and bay leaves bring the lovely aromas and flavors. Dried herbs can also be used if needed
Parmesan rind is typically added to most Italian soups for a yummy cheesy umami kick. A sprinkle of parmesan cheese will also work when served but feel free to skip this ingredient to keep it vegan and dairy free

How to make Tuscan White Bean Soup

Make this hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup in no time at all. Follow the simple steps below.

Saute diced onion, carrots and celery in a large pot with olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Once onions are translucent, add garlic and saute for another minute
Add a can of peeled tomatoes (including the juice) and roughly squash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Add diced potato, vegetable broth, herbs and season well. Place the lid on and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. *If you are adding a parmesan rind, add this in now
While the soup is simmering, chop bread into cubes, season and bake in the oven or air fryer until golden to make the croutons
Blend on one cup of the soup with 1 can of the cannellini beans to make a puree
Add the puree, with a second can of whole cannellini beans to the pot and stir through. Simmer with the lid on for 5 minutes. Taste and season as needed
Add chopped kale leaves to the pot (removing the tough middle stem bits). Simmer with the lid on for 5 minutes. To serve, remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind then garnish with the croutons and parmesan cheese and enjoy 🙂

Tips and Tricks

Always use high quality ingredients, from the veggies to the broth and beans. Especially with a simple recipe, it makes all the difference to the final flavor
For a creamy broth, I like to blend a whole can of cannellini beans with some of the soup. This brings the perfect creaminess, leaving the second can of whole beans for texture
I personally don't drain the canned beans and also use the reserved liquid for flavor. This is totally optional
Use dried beans instead of canned. If you're wishing to do so, soak the dried beans overnight then boil them in fresh water the next day
Add a parmesan rind as it brings so much extra flavor! I always keep all my rinds from parmigiano reggiano cheeses and add them to my soup broths

Storage, Reheating and Freezing

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
Reheat in a small saucepan over stovetop for a few minutes to reboil the soup, then add the fresh croutons before serving. You can also reheat in the microwave if you prefer
You can freeze the soup for up to 2 months! Simply allow it to cool, then store in airtight containers. When ready, allow the soup to thaw, then reheat as per the previous step

FAQs

Are cannellini beans the same as white beans?

White beans can be either cannellini beans, navy beans, great northern beans or lima beans (also known as butter beans). All of which are quite similar but slightly different

What is the thickener in a white bean soup?

In my Tuscan white bean soup recipe, I have used the beans themself as the thickener by blending half with some of the soup broth for a thick creamy texture. You can however also add coconut milk or your preferred cream

What is Tuscan soup made of?

This delicious soup includes a base of vegetables, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans, kale and herbs. Crusty bread or croutons are within the soup or served on top

What is ribollita soup?

Ribollita is a traditional Italian soup originating from the Tuscany region in Italy, also known as Zuppa Toscana where this recipe has sought inspiration from. Ribollita translates to reboiled, and has the same base of vegetables, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans, kale and herbs. The soup however is then reboiled with stale bread making it thicker and more substantial

More Delicious Soups

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