Creamy Tuscan White Bean (Printer-Friendly)

Lush white bean soup with kale and sun-dried tomatoes in a garlic-infused cashew cream base.

# What You Need:

→ 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 (15-ounce) cans 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

# Directions:

01 - Combine soaked cashews, water, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt in a blender. Blend until completely smooth and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in drained cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to incorporate all ingredients.
05 - Pour vegetable broth into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
06 - Add chopped kale to the pot and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes until kale is tender.
07 - Stir in the prepared garlic cashew cream and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cashew cream creates an unexpectedly luxurious texture without any dairy, making each spoonful feel indulgent and comforting.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, with most of the work being chopping, which means weeknight dinners feel less rushed.
  • Those sun-dried tomatoes add a concentrated brightness that makes the whole pot taste like it simmered for hours when it really didn't.
02 -
  • Undercooking the vegetables in step two is the most common mistake, resulting in a soup that feels rough rather than velvety, so take your time letting them truly soften.
  • The cashew cream can separate if it gets too hot, so resist the urge to boil it at the end, instead letting it warm gently and integrate into the soup.
03 -
  • Soaking your cashews in hot water rather than overnight transforms them in twenty minutes, which aligns with the soup's entire timeline and keeps you from having to plan ahead.
  • Tasting as you season matters more than following the salt measurements exactly, since every broth is different and your preference is the true guide.
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