Indulge in a comforting bowl of Tuscan-inspired goodness with our hearty soup, brimming with pasta, beans, chicken and savory sausage morsels. Enhanced by the addition of parmesan cheese rinds, the vegetable base broth is infused with a depth of rich flavor. Meanwhile, the velvety texture of pureed beans adds an extra layer of heartiness to this flavorful soup.
Named for its vibrant deep orange hues reminiscent of the Tuscan sunset, this soup has quickly become one of my favorite go-to recipes. Surprisingly, it’s ready to serve in under an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights. However, what truly captivates me about this recipe is the nostalgic aroma that fills the house as it simmers. These fragrant notes transport me back to my grandmother’s kitchen, evoking cherished memories of anticipation for the delicious meals she would lovingly prepare.
The Beans
Both garbanzo beans and white beans play an important role in this soup. Garbanzo beans are pureed with white beans and added to the base. This step brings additional depth and texture to the tomato based broth. However, half of the white beans are reserved for the body of the soup.
The Sausage
The addition of sausage adds depth of flavor to this soup as well as texture. Despite the modest quantity used, the sausage packs a punch of flavor that elevates the entire dish. Moreover, by incorporating the vegetables during the initial stages of browning the sausage, there’s no need for additional oil, making this recipe both flavorful and health-conscious. My prefered brand is Johnsonville Sausage hot Italian sausage, which adds a little kick to the soup. However, for those catering to young children or individuals with a sensitivity to heat, the Mild Italian Sausage offers a milder alternative without compromising on taste.”
The Pasta
For this recipe, choose a pasta shape that is small. I prefer to use baby shells as their shape collects and holds the soup like miniature tea cups. However ditalini or tubetti pasta shapes are good stand-ins.
When choosing a pasta, look for pasta that is bronze cut. Bronze cut pasta has a rougher surface. The rougher surface encourages the sauce to adhere to the pasta. There are a number of great brands to choose from that make bronze cut pasta. Ralphs/Kroger also offers a great pasta made in Italy under their Private Selection. DeCecco is one of my favorite brands of pasta. And they also offer a variety of shapes and sizes in both whole wheat pasta as well as gluten-free corn pasta.
Tomato Paste adds luscious color as well as flavor.
This soup recipe begins to come to life when the tomato paste is added to the base, bringing big flavor as well as a gorgeous glow of color that brings to mind the sunsets of Tuscany. When reaching for tomato paste, I prefer to use Mutti brand tomato paste. It comes in a convenient tube, allowing me to squeeze out the called for amount. Not only does this eliminate wastefulness, the leftovers store easily in the refrigerator.
However, should you prefer to use canned tomato paste, check out this post on how to Store leftover Chipotle Adobo. The same application can be used for both tomato paste or chipotle adobo.
Weight Watchers and Waist Watchers……………
A 1 1/2 cup serving of Tuscan Bean Soup is 5 WW Smart Points or 571 calories.
Buon Appetito!
Tuscan Bean Soup
A hearty comforting soup that is so easy to prepare. This Tuscan Bean Soup is loaded with chicken breast, vegetables, pasta, beans and morsels of sausage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9 Cups/6 Servings 1x
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 Links (215 grams) Hot Sausage, (mild may be substituted)
- 1 Cup (155 grams) Onion, diced
- 1 Cup (105 grams) Celery, sliced
- 1/2 Cup (60 grams) Carrot, shredded
- 2 teaspoons (14 grams) Garlic, minced
- 15 ounces (400 grams) Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces (400 grams) Great White Northern Beans or Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 Cups (1,175 grams) Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 3 Tablespoons (60 grams) Tomato Paste
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 3 ounces (86 grams) Baby Shells or other small pasta shape
- 1 Parmesan Cheese Rind
- 1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) Kosher Salt
- 2 Cups (266 grams) Roasted Chicken Breast, diced
Garnish:
- Fresh Parsley, minced
Instructions
- Heat a large soup pot over medium-low heat.
- Remove casings from sausage and break up into pot. Brown sausage for about 4 minutes.
- Once the sausage has begun to brown, add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic.
- Continue to cook until sausage is completely brown and the vegetables have begun to soften slightly.
- Meanwhile in a food processor or blender, add all of the garbanzo beans.
- Reserve and set aside 1 cup of the white northern beans; and add the remaining beans to the food processor along with the garbanzo beans.
- Process the beans until smooth using a little broth to help make a puree.
- Add the tomato paste and bean puree, to the cooked sausage and vegetables.
- Gradually pour in the broth, while stirring.
- Add the red pepper flakes, cheese rind and reserved whole beans and bring up to a low boil.
- Special Note: Once the bean puree has been added to the soup, it is important to stir the soup occasionally in order to keep the soup from burning on the bottom of the pot.
- When the soup comes up to a boil, add the pasta.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the pasta is tender about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut chicken into small bite-size pieces.
- Once the pasta is tender, add the cubed chicken and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, just until chicken is heated through.
- Remove cheese rind and serve.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Weight Watchers and Waist Watchers
- A 1 1/2 Cup serving is 5 WW Smart Points
- A 1 1/2 Cup serving is 571 calories
