Italians have a deep love for beans, especially in Tuscany. The region is known for its beans like the Borlotti and Cannellini. The Cannellini bean, a medium-sized white bean, is a favorite in this hearty Tuscan soup. With its creamy texture, the soup is infused with the savory richness of pancetta and the earthy flavors […]
Scale This Recipe
Servings
Ingredients
Units
12 ounces
dried , — soaked overnight in cold water
3 ounces
, — minced
1.5 cups
, — extra virgin
1 large
yellow onion — peeled and minced
0.5 stalk
celery, — trimmed and minced
5 sprigs
fresh Italian parsley, — trimmed and minced
2 tablespoons
tomato paste
4 cloves
garlic, — crushed and peeled
2 sprigs
fresh rosemary, — small
3 fresh
sage leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, — to taste
1 ounce
angel hair pasta
Instructions
1
Drain beans and put into a large heavy pot. Add pancetta, 1 cup of oil, onion, celery, parsley, tomato paste and 7 cups of cold water. Mince 2 cloves of the garlic plus the leaves of 1 sprig of rosemary and add to the pot. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and , stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours until beans are very tender.
2
Meanwhile, heat the remaining ½ cup of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sage, the remaining garlic, and 1 sprig rosemary. Cook until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Strain oil and reserve flavored oil.
3
Transfer half the beans and cooking liquid to a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and puree until smooth. Stir back into pot, and then stir in flavored oil and with salt and pepper.
4
Add pasta to soup and cook, stirring often, until tender, for about 12 minutes. with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
5
Canned beans may be used to make the soup when dried beans are not available or if you want to speed up the process.
The secret to a silky soup like this one is patience at the blending stage — take your time and pass it through a fine sieve if you want a truly professional finish. If you'd like to go deeper, Soups Making 101 covers this in full.
If you'd ever like hands-on guidance for your own kitchen or restaurant, I also offer 1-on-1 coaching through OCS, or you can reach me directly for consulting at 911ChefEric.com.
Recipes come out right when you understand the method. Chef Eric’s courses teach the foundations step by step — knife skills, stocks, soups and classic French technique — with video lessons and short quizzes. Not sure where to start? OCRS™ will build your roadmap in five questions.
