Best Tuscan Bean Soup Americas Test Kitchen Recipes

Tuscan Bean Soup image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h45m

Yield 3 1/2 quarts, 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

1/2 cup kidney beans soaked overnight or 1 (14-ounce) can store-bought beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cannellini beans soaked overnight or 1 (14-ounce) can store-bought beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling on bread
1/2 pound diced pancetta
2 cups diced yellow onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 quarts chicken stock, plus extra water if needed
2 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
1 sprig oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 heads Lacinata kale, stems removed and cut into bite size pieces
1 loaf Italian peasant bread, cut into thick slices
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, for serving

Steps:

Place the kidney beans in a medium pot, add water to cover by 2-inches and bring to a boil. (If using canned kidney beans, skip this step.) Turn the heat down, let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until just-tender. Use the same process for the cannellini beans.
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, rendering the fat and cooking until slightly crispy about 3 minutes. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add the diced tomatoes, the cooked and drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, chick peas, and the chicken stock. Using kitchen twine, tie the herbs and the bay leaf into a bundle and add to the pot. Season with the red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the kale. Continue cooking until the beans are completely tender.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil over the slices of peasant bread, season with a little salt and pepper and toast in the oven. Serve the soup in large bowls with grated Parmesan and a slice of toast.

Tuscan Bean Soup image

Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 1h5m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
One 16-ounce can tomato paste
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus more if desired
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup dry white wine
One 28-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes
Three 14.5-ounce cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch kale, plus more if desired
Fresh Parmesan shavings, for garnish
Plenty of torn fresh basil, for garnish

Steps:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, getting lots of flavor in the bottom of the pot. Stir in the red pepper flakes and dried oregano; cook and stir for another 30 seconds.
Pour in the wine and whisk, scraping the bottom of the pot a bit as you go. Allow this to bubble up and reduce, cooking until the wine is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, then the beans. Pour in the chicken broth. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse the kale and tear it into chunks. Stir it into the soup (it'll shrink quite a bit, so don't be afraid when you first add it!). Simmer the soup for another 5 minutes, tasting and adding salt and pepper (or even more red pepper flakes) as needed.
Transfer the soup to a large serving bowl. Add big, fat Parmesan shavings and garnish with torn basil.

Tuscan Bean Soup image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces deli-sliced hot capicola or coppa ham, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic (4 minced, 1 whole)
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can no-salt-added cannellini beans
1 15-ounce can no-salt-added petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 small pieceparmesan rind
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 thick slices whole-grain bread
1 small head escarole, chopped

Steps:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the capicola, red onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 2 cups water, the parmesan rind, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parmesan rind.
Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread; rub both sides with the whole garlic clove and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Stir the escarole into the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Top each serving of soup with a piece of toast. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.