Tuscan White Bean Soup

Tuscan White Bean Soup is a delectable medley of white beans, bacon, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots and spinach in a perfectly seasoned broth.  This soup is quick to come together and is easy enough for even the novice chef.

Hubby and the kids love to have this soup with Cheddar Biscuits with Chive Butter or Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Beer Bread.  Both are equally delicious and can be made a day in advance. 

We are huge soup lovers over here!  In our world, any time of the year is a good time for soup!  This Tuscan White Bean Soup is one of our favorites and is so easy to make.  This soup can go from the refrigerator to the table in a little over forty minutes.  With two teenagers, little Charlie (our newest canine pup), our older beagle Marshmallow and one ancient sassy feline name Georgie I need lots of quick and easy recipes.  This soup fits that bill real well but still tastes superb.

How do you make Tuscan White Bean Soup?

In a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon till it is good and crispy.  Now add the chopped onions, carrots and celery.  Stir frequently and cook until the onions and celery are soft.  Add the garlic, cayenne pepper, marjoram and onion powder and cook one additional minute.

Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot along with the tomatoes and chicken broth.  Simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes.  Stir in the spinach the last few minutes of cooking.

How can I make this soup into a creamy soup?

Pull several cups of the soup out of the pot and into a heat proof container like a Pyrex measuring cup. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.  You can also use a blender but remove the middle cap on the top so the heat does not build up too much.  Then simply add the pureed soup back to the pot and stir to combine. Repeat until you have the soup the consistency that you want it.

What is marjoram?

Marjoram is an herb that is a member of the mint family.  Oregano is also a member of the mint family.  While oregano is pungent, a tad spicy and a little bitter marjoram is more mellow, sweet and with a woodsy floral aroma. It grows wild in the Mediterranean countries of Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece, and is a popular in sauces, soups and meat dishes.

Can you freeze Tuscan White Bean Soup?

Slightly undercook the vegetables so that when you reheat the soup the vegetables are not mushy. If you know how much you are going to freeze remove that before adding the spinach.  You can add the spinach when you heat the frozen soup.  Cool the soup before storing in freezer bags or freezer storage containers for up to three months.  Thaw by placing the freezer bag or freezer container in a clean sink full of very cold water. Change the water frequently to make sure it stays cold or add ice to the sink.   Finish by reheating the soup in a saucepan and adding the spinach as soon as the soup is hot.  Do not heat the soup in the microwave in freezer bags.

Helpful tips for making Tuscan Bean Soup

• Use good quality smoked uncured bacon. You can substitute prosciutto, ham or even bulk Italian sausage.
• Do not overcook your vegetables.  You want them tender but not mushy.
• You can use cannellini beans or Great Northern Beans
• To add even more flavor, substitute fire roasted tomatoes, add more cayenne pepper or a couple of dashes of hot sauce.
• Spinach only takes a couple of minutes to cook so add it right before serving.

Other soup recipes you will love!

• Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
• Potato Leek Soup Recipe
• Beef and Barley Soup
• Buffalo Chicken Soup

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Tuscan White Bean Soup is a delectable medley of white beans, bacon, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots and spinach in a perfectly seasoned broth. This hearty bean soup is perfect just about any time of year, but is especially satisfying in the winter months.

4.95 from 17 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Tuscan

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Small Town Woman

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb bacon coarsely chopped
• 1 small sweet onion chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and cut into thin rounds
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 cans 15.8 ounce Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
• 2 cans 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups spinach coarsely chopped

Instructions

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium cook chopped bacon crispy; stirring frequently.   Add chopped onions, carrots and celery.  Cook until the onions and celery are soft. Approximately 5-7 minutes;  stirring several times.   Add the garlic, cayenne pepper, onion powder and majoram; cook 1 minute.
• Add the drained beans, tomatoes and chicken broth. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Stir in the spinach the last few minutes of cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5412IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

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