Friends, it’s no secret we love soup, and this creamy Tuscan-inspired version with white beans and kale is our new favorite for fall and winter! It’s hearty, warming, comforting, SO flavorful, and packed with nourishing veggies and fiber-rich beans. Basically, a hug in a bowl.
It’s ideal for meal prep or freezing and comes together easily in just 1 pot! While satisfying on its own, we also love it with Vegan Garlic Bread, Spicy Tempeh Sausage, or Pesto “Parmesan” Turkey Meatballs. Let us show you how it’s done!
Recipe Inspiration
This soup is inspired by our 1-Pot Tuscan Style Beef & Lentil Soup, but this version is plant-based and draws inspiration from Tuscan soups like zuppa di fagioli and ribollita.
How to Make Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup
As with most good soups, this one starts with a savory base of sautéed onion, carrots, and celery.
Next, we add tomato paste for richness, red pepper flakes for heat, and dried rosemary or thyme for herby goodness. Garlic is a must for an Italian-inspired soup, and basil, too!
Next comes the vegetable broth, white beans, tomatoes, and salt and pepper, bringing us into soup territory.
After simmering to develop the flavors, we lightly purée the mixture to break up some of the beans and create more cohesiveness. But if you want to keep it a little chunky, or don’t have an immersion blender, feel free to skip this step!
Then it’s time for the kale, or whatever greens you have around (spinach, collards, or chard work, too!).
The final touches are balsamic vinegar for sweetness and depth of flavor and coconut milk (or cashew cream) for dairy-free creaminess.
We hope you LOVE this soup! It’s:
Hearty
Nourishing
Creamy
Warming
Subtly spicy
& SO comforting!
Enjoy it on its own or top with fresh basil, Vegan Parmesan Cheese, and Garlicky Homemade Croutons for extra freshness, saltiness, and crunch. It also pairs nicely with protein-packed dishes like Spicy Tempeh Sausage or Pesto “Parmesan” Turkey Meatballs.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- 1-Pot Chickpea Tomato Peanut Stew (West African-Inspired)
- Instant Pot Curried Lentil Soup (Indian-Inspired)
- 1-Pot Chickpea Noodle Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup (Classic or Immune-Boosting!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Creamy Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup (1 Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (if oil-free, sub twice the amount of water)
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced (1/2 large onion yields ~ 1 ½ cups or 170 g)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (2 carrots yield ~3/4 cup or 100 g)
- 2 large stalks celery, diced (2 stalks celery yield ~1 ¼ cup or 150 g)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt (DIVIDED // plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (DIVIDED)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 18 g)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary or thyme (or sub 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 3 cups vegetable broth (or store-bought)
- 2 (15-oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (we prefer cannellini // or ~3 ½ cups cooked homemade beans)
- 1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chopped kale leaves (or sub baby spinach)
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (or sub cashew cream)
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh basil
- Croutons (find our recipe for homemade here)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper, and cook (stirring occasionally) until softened — about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary (or thyme), and basil and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the veggies are fork-tender and the flavors are well developed.
- Optional (skip this step if you prefer a chunkier soup): Use an immersion blender to purée the soup in short bursts, only puréeing part of the soup (mostly the beans) and leaving plenty of whole pieces of vegetables.
- Return the soup to a light simmer. Then add the kale, turn off the heat, and cover the pot for 5 minutes. Once the kale is softened, uncover the pot and stir in the vinegar and coconut milk (or cashew cream). Taste and adjust as needed, adding more red pepper flakes for heat, vinegar or tomato paste for richness, coconut milk for creaminess, or salt for overall flavor.
- Serve warm garnished with vegan parmesan cheese, thinly sliced basil, and croutons (all optional).
- Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw from frozen before reheating. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan or pot over medium heat (covered) until warmed through. Add more broth or water as needed to thin.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
nichole says
Hi canyou make this in a crockpot?
That should work well! We’d suggest 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. For best flavor (though not essential), you could sauté the ingredients in step 1 before adding them to the crock pot. Let us know if you try it!
Michelle says
This is my favorite Minimalist Baker recipe! I brown some ground turkey in a separate pan and add it at the end. Hearty and delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Michelle! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Shelby says
What a warm, cozy nourishing soup! I loved the one pot simple meal. I rarely cook with coconut milk, but I loved the creaminess it added without making it feel too heavy.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Shelby! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Jackie says
I used spinach & heavy cream because it’s what I had on hand. The cream gave it a delicious richness. Will definitely be making this often. Thanks for a great recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jackie! Thanks so much for sharing your modifications!
Ashley says
So tasty!! Thank you! I used garbanzo beans and no vinegar because it was what I had in my pantry. My kiddos enjoyed it as much as my husband and I did
Lovely! Thanks so much for a wonderful review and for sharing your modifications!
Michelle Jay says
Delicious! Easy, hearty, non dairy and so good. Another winner from MB.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Michelle. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jenna says
This was a delicious recipe. I made it without the added coconut milk/cashew cream to keep it lower fat, and it was still so good. I used the immersion blender to salsa-like consistency. Will be saving this recipe for future use!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Jenna!
Dana says
I loved this recipe! Super simple ingredients, not too much prep, and so much flavor!
When prepping for this recipe I only purchased 1 can of white beans and it ended up being totally fine! The texture of the chopped veggies and the fullness of the kale hardied it up enough that it didn’t seem out of proportion.
Highly recommend this recipe. I’ll be using it for all future rainy day/cold day/soup vibe-y days in the future.
Amazing! We’re so glad you love this recipe, Dana. Thank you for the wonderful review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Jenny says
My husband and I love, love, love this soup! It’s quick and simple, delicious and filling! I use spinach instead of kale, but otherwise, I follow the exact recipe. I have made it more than three times…and will be bringing to potluck holiday party! Thank you for another great recipe!
Aw, YAY! We’re so happy you both enjoy the recipe, Jenny. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Tess says
I’d like to make this for our family dinner but my daughter-in-law is allergic to coconut. Can I just use half and half instead if we’re not vegan?
Yes, that would be fine!
Beth says
This Tuscan Bean Soup recipe is delicious and very easy. I only had 1 can of white beans, but found that it was enough volume for the soup. I also did not have the tomato paste so that was omitted. I added 1 Tbs of Nutritional Yeast, and 1 Tbs of Tumeric-Onion Powder-Garlic Powder-Pepper-Dried Parsley Spice Blend. I did not blend the soup. I made the homemade Cashew Cream which I had never done before and that elevated it to another level. Super Delicious! Thank you for the nutritious and delicious recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Beth! Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications! xo
Amanda McAdam says
My all time favorite soup!
Whoop! We’re so glad you love it, Amanda! xoxo
Pooja says
Made this when it started getting chilly and will definitely be making regularly this winter! So flavorful while still easy and quick for a work night.
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Pooja. Thank you for sharing! xo
Amy says
This is an awesome recipe! I tried this 2 nights ago and it’s absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Amy. Thank you for sharing! xo
Cat says
This is always delicious! I’ve made this at least 5 times, and my husband has loved it each time (even though he claims to be a simple vegetable soup kind of man). This time, I didn’t realize I was out of coconut milk, but a splash of heavy cream did the trick and tasted just fine.
We’re so glad you both enjoy it, Cat. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Helena says
Made this. I used butterbeans as didn’t have cannellini. It was delicious!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Helena! xo
Nicole says
This is the best veggie soup I have ever made! I used fire-roasted tomatoes and added some ABC pasta for my daughter, though it definitely does not need pasta added. I also added the pasta before I saw the step with the immersion blender, so I didn’t blend, but I think next time I will blend first and then add ABS pasta just so you can see the letters better, lol. We definitely did not skip the croutons- I did a loaf of bread earlier in the day in a bread machine, and it couldn’t have been easier. Without the ABC pasta it would feel very elegant and I would serve this to guests. This will be in our regular rotation. Thanks Dana! I’ve struggled with bland veggie soup for years and you solved it for me!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole. So fun to add ABC pasta! Thank you for sharing! xo
Julie says
This robust soup is delicious and so easy and quick to make from ingredients that I usually have on hand. This is a wonderful addition to my fall/winter soup roster!
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Julie. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Jennifer says
I always look first to Minimalist Baker when looking for a good vegan recipe and this soup stood up to that measure. It was wonderful! I had a few Yukon gold potatoes that needed using so added them to this soup——the only change I made to the recipe. The soup was fantastic! Thanks so much for your great recipes.
Aw, thank you so much for trusting our recipes and for the lovely review, Jennifer! We’re honored! xoxo
Nicole Madsen says
One of the best recipes I’ve made for soup! We all loved it- I used a can of navy beans and butter beans. For the kids, I made bow tie pasta and mixed in a scoop of soup so they had the broth (which I blended a bit) and veggies.
Amazing! Love that serving idea for the kids. Thank you for sharing, Nicole! xo
Karen Harding says
Made recipe as written but omited coconut milk and croutons. Absolutely delicious and super fast to make.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Karen! Thank you for sharing! xo
Kezia F Rasmussen says
I made and loved this! Super easy to make and very satisfying. I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes, a 16-bean dry soup mix blend instead of just white beans, and added a tablespoon of marsala cooking wine. Definitely want to try this recipe as it is, but it was really easy to make slight tweaks. I found this recipe to use the kale from our garden and absolutely will be making this again.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Kezia! xo
Sonja says
This soup is amazing. My favorite new soup recipe of the season so far. Definitely use the immersion blender if you can but dont go overboard. I used 1 tbsp fresh basil instead of dried. We used reduced fat coconut milk which tasted just fine, but I’ll try regular next time for a creamier flavor.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sonja. Thank you for sharing! xo
Kate says
Wow! I loved this! I had fresh rosemary in the garden, and I used the cashew cream instead of coconut milk. So much flavor. Did not blend, did not feel the need. Super supper (with sourdough croutons).
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Kate! xoxo
Alicia says
This soup turned out delicious. We included two, diced red potatoes during the second step and found it to be a yummy addition. Thanks so much for an excellent recipe!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Alicia! xo
Marianne Alaska says
I have been craving creamy tomato soup lately, and this has become my new favorite recipe! I made the crouton recipe also, absolutely yummy! Thank you for making this Vegan diet easy with all your amazing recipes!
Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Marianne! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Olivia says
It’s amazing how great this soup is! It is amazing. If I had a restaurant, this would be on the menu every day. Thanks for this recipe.
Aw, YAY! We’re so glad you enjoy it so much, Olivia. Thank you for sharing! xo
ColCT says
I just made this tonight and it was AMAZING. The only deviation from the recipe I made was 1/2 white beans and 1/2 chickpeas because that’s what I had on hand. This is going into my permanent rotation. Thanks Minimalist Baker, this is a keeper!
YAY! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing! xo
Carol says
Just made this. Didn’t have kale and substituted spinach. Excellent!!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Carol! xo
Kathleen Allisen says
I have made this soup several times, it is delicious. It’s a great way to use up the little bits of vegetables that would otherwise get thrown out. Dice up some green beans, some bell peppers, cauliflower florets, frozen peas, there is an infinite variety that work well in this soup. We are big fans!
Love your creative add-ins, Kathleen! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Gina N says
This soup was DELICIOUS! My husband hates kale and he LOVED this soup. I recommend using the immersion blender like recommended. It will not disappoint.
Whoop! That sounds like a major win! Thanks so much for sharing, Gina! xo
Janice says
I’ve made this twice in the last month or so. It is absolutely delicious! We love the flavor and all the healthy ingredients. I froze leftovers for when I don’t want to cook. It froze beautifully. No issues with it at all. I was concerned about how the kale would be after freezing. Delicious!!
Amazing! We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Janice. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Stephanie says
HI, so I’m always confused when it comes to recipes that call for coconut milk…. Does this recipe call for the kind in a can or the kind from the refrigerator section in the store? Thanks
Hi Stephanie, good question! When we say “full-fat” coconut milk, that’s canned. Hope that helps!
Lib Richards says
Delicious and satisfying!
xoxo!
Wendy Walker says
I love this recipe. I use the cashew cream in the soup instead of coconut milk bc I like the milder flavor. It is one of my favorites. Thank you!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Wendy!
Kinsee Walter says
Do you have the weight of the serving size? Like in grams? Thanks you!
Hi Kinsee, we don’t, unfortunately!