Creamy White Bean Soup with Pancetta
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This Tuscan-inspired white bean soup starts with a soffritto base of onion, carrot, and celery cooked in olive oil with garlic, rosemary, and a pinch of red pepper. The naturally starchy cannellini beans break down as they cook, so pureeing just one cup back into the pot is all it takes to get a genuinely creamy texture, without cream or flour.
Adding a garnish of pancetta is optional — it cooks separately so it stays crisp and people can help themselves — but the soup is completely satisfying without it. If you’re a white bean regular, you might also want to try this creamy white beans skillet dinner and Italian pasta and bean soup.
Three key ingredients
- White beans: Cannellini beans (sometimes called “white kidney beans”) are plump and creamy-textured when cooked, with a mildly nutty flavor that holds up well in a long simmer. You can use convenient canned beans or home-cooked cannellini beans to make this soup.
- Soup base: Soffritto, a mixture of chopped onion, carrot, and celery cooked in olive oil until genuinely soft — is the flavor foundation. I like to cook it gently for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat before the beans go in. Rushing this step is the difference between a flat soup and one with real depth.
- Pancetta: A fully-aged, unsmoked pork belly, it adds a lot of flavor to the soup with less fat than American-style bacon. I prefer to render the pancetta in a separate pan so that people can choose to enjoy a vegetarian soup. Plus, when it’s not soaked in the cooking broth the pancetta stays nice and crisp. You can buy cubed pancetta in vacuum sealed packages. If not, ask your deli counter to slice it into a 1/2-inch-thick slab (rather than thinly-sliced) so you can cut it into plump little cubes at home.
How to make Tuscan white bean soup
1. In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook chopped onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil until softened, then stir in garlic, fresh rosemary, and red pepper. 2. Add broth, beans and drop in a Parmesan rind if you have one — it melts into the broth and adds savory depth to the soup.
3. After 15 to 20 minutes, the beans will have absorbed some of the broth and the whole pot will smell like it’s been cooking for hours. 4. One cup of blended soup stirred back in is all it takes — the bean starch does the thickening. Don’t overdo it — you don’t want a smooth bisque.
5. Tear the kale into rough pieces rather than fine shreds — it gives the soup texture. 6. Keep the heat low once the kale is added. High heat at this stage dulls its color and can make the Parmesan clump.
7. Render the pancetta low and slow — patience gets you crisp, golden cubes instead of chewy ones. Drain on paper towels and add at the table. 8. Ladle into wide bowls — the soup thickens as it sits, so serve it while it’s warm from the pot.
Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup with Pancetta
This Tuscan-inspired white bean soup is made with a base of vegetables, fresh rosemary, broth or water, and naturally starchy cannellini beans that break down to a creamy consistency as they cook, no cream required. Serve garnished with cubes of crisp pancetta for an extra-meaty flavor, along with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion, about 1 medium onion
- ½ cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery, 2-3 stalks
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 2-3 cloves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, (4 cups) drained
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional
- 3 cups (710 ml) vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- Kosher salt
- 4 ounces (110 g) cubed pancetta
- 4 cups shredded kale
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Pour 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil into a Dutch oven or large soup pot (4-6 quarts). Place over medium heat and stir in ½ cup chopped onion, ½ cup chopped carrot, and ½ cup chopped celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepperCook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, 1 Parmesan rind, 2½ cups of the broth and 1½ teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then adjust the heat to medium-low and partially cover the pot. Simmer the soup 15-20 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, place 4 ounces cubed pancetta in a small skillet and place over medium heat. Cook until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crisp, stirring frequently. Using a spatula or slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- To thicken the texture, ladle out one cup of soup and puree in a blender or food processor, then stir it back into the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender, pulsing for about 15 seconds to puree a small amount of the soup right in the pot.
- Add 4 cups shredded kale and ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the soup and heat 1-2 minutes, just until the kale turns bright green and wilts. At this point, you can add some of the remaining broth to thin the texture of the soup to your preference.
- Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with the pancetta and additional cheese to taste.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Great Northern or navy beans may be substituted, but the texture of the soup won’t be as creamy.
- The soup thickens considerably as it sits. Thin it back with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
- The soup keeps refrigerated for 3-5 days and frozen for 1 month.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 402kcal Carbohydrates: 36g Protein: 17g Fat: 24g Sodium: 622mg Fiber: 11g Sugar: 4g
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
Professionally trained cook, cookbook author, and the person behind every recipe here. I cook the way I was trained: Start with good ingredients, understand why they work, and don’t apologize for the salt. These are the recipes I actually make, for the people I love. Read more about me here.
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Love it. Can I sub bacon for the pancetta? Thanks!
Yes, absolutely 🙂
Scrumptious!!!! I love to keep this soup on hand. Everyone loves it. Question: Can I sub bacon for the pancetta? It’s easier to find. Thanks.
Yes, you can use bacon instead. I’m happy this is a loved recipe in your home!
This was such a delicious soup. I Iike the idea of adding the cheese rind to the soup. It took it to a different level. I will definitely continue to make this for my family. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, the cheese rind is sooo good. Happy you enjoyed the soup!