Description
A rich and creamy tomato bean soup featuring cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and a blend of herbs. Perfect for a comforting meal, this soup combines the intensity of tomato paste with the creaminess of pureed beans and optional cream, served best with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1 onion, finely chopped (brown, yellow, or white)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian herb mix (oregano, thyme, parsley, basil, or mixed)
- 3/4 cup tomato paste (170g)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (125ml), optional
- 4 cups stock or broth, chicken or vegetable, low sodium (1 litre)
- 3 cans cannellini or any white beans, drained and rinsed (3 x 420g/15oz) or 2 cups dried beans cooked (5.5 cups cooked)
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated (50g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 120g baby spinach or 5–6 cups other leafy greens or 4 cups diced vegetables
- 3/4 cup heavy or thickened cream (185ml), optional
Instructions
- Prepare the base vegetables: Melt the unsalted butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped garlic, onion, and carrot, cooking for 5 minutes until the carrot softens and sweetness develops.
- Add herbs: About 3 minutes into cooking the vegetables, stir in the Italian herb mix and cook with the onion to release the herb flavors.
- Cook the tomato paste: Increase the heat to high and add the tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes to eliminate any raw taste.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine if using and cook for 3 minutes, allowing the harsh wine aroma to dissipate and mostly evaporate, leaving a rich tomato base.
- Add beans and liquid: Stir in 1/2 cup of the beans to thicken the soup along with the stock, grated parmesan, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Puree the soup: Use a stick blender directly in the pot or transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Add remaining beans and greens: Return the pureed soup to the pot if needed, add the remaining beans, and simmer for another 3 minutes. Stir in the baby spinach or other leafy greens until wilted.
- Add cream and adjust seasoning: Stir in the cream if using, and adjust salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind canned beans may be salted.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Tomato paste provides a concentrated tomato flavor. You may substitute with 800g canned crushed or diced tomatoes or tomato passata, reducing the stock to 3 cups (750ml) and adding only 1/4 cup beans initially, simmering 10 minutes uncovered before pureeing.
- Any white beans work well, including navy, lima, or butter beans. Other beans like kidney or black beans can be used but may change the soup's color.
- For dried beans, soak them for 5–24 hours, then boil and simmer with salt until tender (around 25–120 minutes depending on type and age).
- You can increase the vegetable content by adding diced vegetables cooked separately or stir in quick-wilting greens like spinach just before serving.
- Optional proteins like bacon, ham, sausage, chicken, or canned fish can be seared or poached separately, then added back to the soup.
- This soup stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days or can be frozen and reheated gently.
- Use lower sodium broth and adjust salt after cooking to control sodium content.
- If a thicker or richer soup is desired, add extra butter or cream to taste at the end.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
