As our One-Pot Blogger Party ends, we conclude with a hearty pot of Tuscan White Bean Soup—with soup, there is always enough for everyone.
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Broccoli Rabe is one of the recipes we are allowed to share in full, so I couldn’t pass up making a pot at home too. In a house full of carnivores it was hard to imagine making bean soup without ham or smoked turkey, but I wanted to stay as close to the original as possible.
Uncertain as I was about the lemon component of this soup, it worked! It subtly blended into the background of the broth brightening other savories as well as the broccoli just a bit.
I highly recommend cannellini beans—a larger, plump white bean with a creamy texture—and as with any soup, homemade stock is ideal for the base.
I hope you’ve been saving your Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rinds (I have extra if you live close-by) it is a wonderful flavor boost. Of course, shaved Parmesan to top it off is good too!
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups small-diced onion
- 1 cup small-diced celery
- 1 cup small-diced red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 pounds dried white beans (cannellini, baby lima, or great Northern), rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight, and drained
- 1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind , about 1 × 3 inches
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups water
- 1 ½ pounds broccoli rabe , tough stem ends trimmed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese , finely grated (about 1 ½ cups)
- Extra-virgin olive oil , for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart soup pot or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, dried Italian herbs, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, beans, Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and water and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to simmer gently and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer about 1 cup of the beans from the pot to a small bowl and mash them with the back of a spoon. Return the mashed beans to the soup and add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and continue to cook, uncovered, until the broth thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining black pepper, the broccoli rabe, and rosemary sprig and continue to cook until the broccoli rabe is just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Remove the Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and rosemary sprig and discard them. Serve the soup in wide, shallow bowls, garnished with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Nutrition
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Lora says
I liked the addition of broccoli in this soup – anything to get my family to eat more veggies!
Pam says
Really, no one pays much attention to all the “gee, this looks good” remarks, but those who are serious about trying this recipe would love to hear from cooks out there who have actually tried this soup. Anyone?
Judy Purcell says
Pam, thanks for taking time to comment, I appreciate the opportunity to receive feedback and answer questions. Because this soup doesn’t have the benefit of borrowing flavor from meat, it is important to start with homemade stock if possible. Our family prefers smoked meat in beans, so I was surprised they liked this. They didn’t like it better than the ham & bean variety, but they liked it. The Parmesan and lemon give it a salty, savory, bright flavor, the broccoli is really just an accent. I hope this is helpful, please feel free to email me with any other questions you might have. 🙂
Shannon says
This looks wonderful! I’ve been on a soup kick lately (recently moved to Colorado, it’s colder than TX!)
Thanks for linking up to Momtrends this week.
~Shannon, Food Channel Editor, Momtrends.com
Swathi says
I need to find some Broccoli raab. looks delicious. thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.
Nicole Feliciano says
Looks divine! Thanks so much for sharing on Friday Food with Momtrends.
Melynda@Moms Sunday Cafe says
I have recently fallen hard for Broccoli raab, so this soup really caught my eye! Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul.
Simple Miss P says
Yes this looks lovely – I do like a bean soup – so filling and nutritious! It is amazing what a squeeze of lemon can do to dishes too isn’t it?
Penniless Parenting says
Wow, this looks really delicious! Broccoli raab, aka wild mustard, grows wild in my area, and its just starting to come into season. Together with white beans and homemade broth, this soup sounds absolutely delicious and frugal. I can’t wait to try it out! Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop!!!
jill says
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. The soup looks marvelous! Hope to see you next week! Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for
Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
Miz Helen says
We just love a good White Bean Soup and your recipe looks delicious. Thanks for sharing and hope you are having a great week!
Miz Helen
Hannah (BitterSweet) says
Another promising, savory stew for these nasty cold days! Easy enough to make vegan, just by using some vegan cheese, too. It looks so comforting. 🙂
Judy says
Yes, it is a great meal for cold weather! All of these recipes have been easy to customize, especially for my gluten-free daughter 🙂
sportsglutton says
We’ve got some broccoli rabe growing in the garden, so I’m bookmarking this recipe. Have a great Sunday!
mjskit says
This looks like a really hearty and tasty soup! You certainly show it off well with your pictures. I made a pot of white beans today so this looks like a great recipe to use some of those beans. These recipes have been quite an adventures and it’s been enjoyable seeing what you’ve done with them. Great job Judy!
Judy says
Thanks, MJ, glad you joined me 🙂
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide says
What a great meal. This has been such a fun series! We’re going to New Orleans for Katherine’s birthday and one of the restaurants is a place Emeril once cooked at. When he was getting his start that is.
Judy says
Nothing like eating in NO, so much great food to choose from! Happy Birthday to Katherine! Eat some bbq shrimp for me 🙂