Tuscan White Bean Spinach (Printable Version)

A rustic Italian soup blending creamy white beans, fresh spinach, and herbs in a savory broth.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Beans and Broth

07 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Lemon wedges for serving, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
04 - Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Carefully remove and discard the bay leaf from the pot.
06 - Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, gently mash some of the beans directly in the pot to release starches and thicken the broth slightly.
07 - Stir in chopped fresh baby spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until spinach is completely wilted and vibrant green.
08 - Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, and other seasonings as needed for desired flavor balance.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon juice if desired.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • One pot means less cleanup on nights when you're already tired.
  • The mashed beans create this creamy texture without any cream, which feels like a small kitchen miracle every single time.
  • It's naturally vegan, but nobody eating it will feel like they're missing anything.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starchy water makes the soup cloudy and one-note instead of clean and bright.
  • The bay leaf must come out before serving, or you'll have an unpleasant surprise, and nobody wants that.
  • Mashing only some of the beans is the secret to texture; if you mash all of them, you end up with something more like a puree, which isn't terrible but loses the rustic charm.
03 -
  • Toast your dried herbs gently in the oil for just a few seconds before adding vegetables to deepen their flavor—it's a small move that makes a real difference.
  • Use fresh lemon juice, never bottled, because that brightness is what makes people go back for another spoonful.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half; this soup reheats beautifully and becomes an instant comfort on days when you don't have time to cook.
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