Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup (Printer View)

Luscious Tuscan blend with beans, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes in a garlic cashew cream base.

# Components:

→ Beans & Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 6 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
10 - 4 cups lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garlic Cashew Cream

15 - 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained
16 - 3/4 cup water
17 - 2 cloves garlic
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
19 - 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
20 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

# Method:

01 - In a blender, combine soaked cashews, water, garlic cloves, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent.
03 - Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the raw garlic flavor dissipates.
04 - Stir in the drained cannellini beans, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to coat all ingredients with the aromatic oil.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and beans to become tender.
06 - Add the chopped lacinato kale to the pot and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender and bright green.
07 - Stir in the prepared garlic cashew cream and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring gently to distribute evenly throughout the soup. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cashew cream: It's vegan magic that feels indulgent, so nobody at the table will suspect there's no cream involved.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes bring deep, concentrated flavor: a small detail that elevates the entire bowl from simple to sophisticated.
  • It comes together in 45 minutes: no overnight soaking of beans or complicated techniques, just honest cooking.
02 -
  • Rinse your canned beans without fail: The starchy liquid clinging to them will make your soup cloudy and one-dimensional instead of clear and bright.
  • Don't blend hot cashew cream: Soak and blend at room temperature or with slightly cooled water, since a hot blender lid can pop and send cream everywhere, which I learned the hard way.
03 -
  • If your soup tastes flat after adding the kale: it usually needs more salt than you think, since leafy greens absorb seasoning like they're always hungry for it.
  • A splash of unsweetened plant-based milk stirred in at the end adds extra silkiness: oat milk works beautifully without adding a strong flavor of its own.
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