Tuscan Bean Soup - Twiins Style
With the first spoonful of our savory Tuscan Bean Soup you will be swept away to Tuscany admiring the sunflowers. It’s chock full of vegetables, delicious flavor & of course love! Serve as a main meal for either lunch or dinner and don't forget the toasted crusty bread to soak up every last drop. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 (28-oz) can San Marzano tomatoes San Marzano tomatoes, crush with clean hands
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 3 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans with liquid (divided into 3/4 and 1/4)
- 1 rounded tsp Hunt’s tomato paste with garlic & basil
- 1 leek, chopped (both white & green parts)
- 2 yellow onions, diced ( I was out of yellow onions so I substituted with red)
- 2 cups large celery stalks, large dice (about 3-4 ribs)
- 2 cups large carrots, large dice (about 5-6 peeled carrots)
- 8-10 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped (Add more or less to suit your taste.)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 3-4 handfuls baby spinach, torn by hand (escarole or kale may be substituted)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 small piece of rind from a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 3 ounces Ditalini pasta (any small pasta may be substituted.)
- Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli), or Parmigiano-Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)
Directions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the EVOO. When EVOO is hot enough add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, spinach, cheese rind, and 3/4 of the canned beans. Cook for another 3 minutes on medium-low flame until fragrant. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining 1/4 beans then add to the pot and stir.
- Add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, both broths & stir well. Add 3 oz of ditalini to the soup. (If you’re making more than 3 oz of pasta, we recommend you cook it separately & add it right before serving.)
- Bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until vegetables are done.
- While the soup is simmering, prepare the ditalini pasta following package directions.
- Ladle soup into bowls & add the pasta. Sprinkle with grated Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano). Enjoy!
Note: You can double this recipe for a big batch to freeze for later use. Just don’t add the pasta before freezing.
To make this soup gluten-free, use GF broth & GF pasta.
