Cannellini Bean Soup
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My Italian cannellini bean soup is cooked with Passata di Pomodoro and finished with a zesty garlicky swirl of Gremolata. It’s easy, creamy, hearty, super delicious, gluten-free, protein packed, naturally vegan and good for you.
Cannellini Bean Soup
Besides dips, one of the main reasons I like to stock my pantry with cans upon cans of creamy white beans is this heavenly white bean soup that tastes as if you’ve been cooking for hours but ready in a fraction of the time. It’s a straight forward recipe, you build flavor with layers of aromatics and herbs like rosemary and thyme, then cook everything together with a touch of Passata for all the fabulous flavors to marry.
The Beans
Is there a creamier more delicious bean out there than Italian cannellini beans…? Me thinks not. However if you just can’t find any at your market you can swap them with Great Northern or even butter beans. To make this soup with dry beans from scratch you’ll want to start by soaking 1 cup of dry beans for 6 hours or overnight then boil them in plenty of water until soft. Follow the recipe as is below but using your home cooked beans instead of canned and the cooking liquid instead of water. Easy peasy and fabulous!
About the Gremolata
This Italian condiment sets this soup apart from other bean soups, don’t skip it! It’s simply a rustic mix of fresh grated garlic combined with lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh flat leaf parsley to balance the pungency of the garlic. It can be stirred in the whole pot of soup or served as a condiment on top of each individual bowl, much like you would a drizzle of pesto or chimichurri. A little goes a long way, consider the fact that the amount in the recipe should be enough to flavor you entire soup pot, not just a bowl.
Passata di Pomodoro
A staple pantry item in both Italian and Romanian cuisines, this thick but smooth tomato puree is sure to enhance your soup with just the perfect tang and subtle tomato flavor. The month of August is usually dedicated to making and canning as many bottles of Passata (+ Giardiniera) as your pantry shelves will hold. If you can’t find any at your local market you can use a can of San Marzano tomatoes and blend it until super smooth then measure enough for the recipe. You can certainly add more than suggested if you want to lean a little heavier into the tomato flavor.
Add Ins + Storage
To boost up the micronutrient profile of the soup you can add about two cups or so of roughly chopped Lacinato kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking. I wanted the gremolata to really shine here so I opted for having sautéed garlic spinach + bruschetta on the side instead. The soup will taste even better the second and third day after the flavors get to marry. Any leftovers should be enjoyed within 5 days or frozen for up to 4 months. Reheat on the stove top or microwave oven after having thawed out in the refrigerator overnight.
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- Olive Bread
- Italian Rosemary Biscuits
- Pizza Bread Focaccia <— SOOO GOOD!
- White Bean Dip
- Pasta Primavera
- Ultimate Potato Pasta
- Pomodoro Sauce
- Potato Bread
- Italian Minestrone Soup
- Best Zuppa Toscana
How To Make Cannellini Bean Soup
Cannellini Bean Soup with Passata di Pomodoro & Gremolata
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 1 small carrot peeled + sliced
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 3 x15 oz canned cannellini beans (drained + rinsed)
- 1/2 cup Passata or a good tomato sauce
- 1.5 tsp dry oregano
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups water
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a light drizzle of olive oil or water until softened and translucent and the veggies start to get a little color at the edges.1 yellow onion, 1 small carrot, 1 celery stalk
- Push the veggies to the side and add a drop of olive oil in the middle then drop in the minced garlic. Cook just until fragrant then stir in the chili flakes and herbs (oregano, bay, thyme, rosemary).2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp red chili flakes, 1.5 tsp dry oregano, 8 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 bay leaf
- Add the beans, water, Passata, nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes for the flavors to marry. (This soup tastes even better the following couple of days after it sat in the fridge and created magic together).3 x15 oz canned cannellini beans, 1/2 cup Passata, 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 3 cups water
- Transfer 1/3 to 1/2 of the bean soup to a powerful blender and process on the hot liquid setting until silky smooth. Stir back into the pot and combine with the rest of the soup.
- Make Gremolata: While your soup is simmering mix together all the gremolata ingredients. Season with a tiny pinch of sea salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.1/4 cup cup Italian parsley leaves, 1 large garlic clove, Zest from 1 lemon, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 pinch sea salt
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a spoon of the gremolata and a thick slice of bruschetta or crusty bread. (Alternatively you cab mix all the gremolata in the pot of soup but I like to serve it individually).
Video
Notes
- Add Ins + Storage - To boost up the micronutrient profile of the soup you can add about two cups or so of roughly chopped Lacinato kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking. I wanted the gremolata to really shine here so I opted for having sautéed garlic spinach + bruschetta on the side instead. The soup will taste even better the second and third day after the flavors get to marry. Any leftovers should be enjoyed within 5 days or frozen for up to 4 months. Reheat on the stove top or microwave oven after having thawed out in the refrigerator overnight.
- Passata di Pomodoro - If you can't find any at your local market you can use a can of San Marzano tomatoes and blend it until super smooth then measure enough for the recipe. You can use more than suggested to your liking.
- The Cannellini Beans - if you just can't find any at your market you can swap them with Great Northern or even butter beans.
I couldn’t wait try this soup as I’ve always been making your original Italian white bean soup and it’s always a favorite in our home. Now I have a new favorite that uses canned beans and yields a spectacular texture and flavor with the gremolata elevating it to the last bite. This soup tastes like Italy to me, the lemon the garlic the parsley, just everything together is pure magic! Thank you for sharing all your loved recipes with us, I can always count on the best from this blog.