Tuscan Bean Soup

recipe

Each Tuscan village has their own version of bean soup, but they all have one thing in common--heartiness. It’s no surprise this dish is so full of beans, greens and veggies. 

Ingredients

3 large carrots, sliced
2 large stalks celery, diced
1 small zucchini squash, diced
1 small yellow (summer) squash, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped
4 cups chopped kale
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Slice carrots. Dice celery, zucchini and yellow squash. Chop onions, leek and kale.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, leek, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash. Saute for 4 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook for 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in the broth, water, beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and add chopped kale. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans and vegetables for texture.
  6. Add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Tips:

Serve it like a true Italian. Line your bowl with a piece of crusty bread cut into chunks and serve the soup on top. (Croutons don’t count as crusty Italian bread.)

Nutritional data

Yield: 4 Servings
Serving Size: 3 cups

Calories 420 | Fat 6g | Sodium 550mg | Total Carbs 77g | Dietary Fiber 24g | Protein 23g 

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