- Gently sautéing garlic in olive oil builds a fragrant base before the beans are added.
- Pureeing a small portion of the beans thickens the soup naturally without cream or added starch.
- Served over toasted bread — it’s rustic, comforting, and deeply Italian.
If you really love beans, they’re all you want in a bean soup. This soup contains very little liquid, but you can certainly add more broth or water if you prefer. At the other extreme, you can add less and make it thick enough to serve as a side dish to accompany a nice roast.
All about cannellini beans
Cannellini beans, aka white kidney beans, are large, white beans that are a staple of Italian cuisine. They boast a creamy texture, nutty flavor, and relatively thick skins that allow them to hold their shape in soups and stews. They’re also a great addition to salads and work beautifully in pureed applications — here, some of the beans are put through a food mill, and the rest are left whole. Navy beans and Great Northern beans make fine substitutions.
Flat-leaf vs. curly parsley
Hands down, flat-leaf parsley is the better choice for cooking. Also called Italian parsley, flat-leaf parsley is robust and flavorful, with peppery, herbaceous notes. Curly parsley is milder and slightly grassy; its pretty ruffled leaves make it better suited for garnishes.
Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
To get the six cups of cooked cannellini beans called for here, you’ll need approximately four 15-ounce cans. If you’re starting with dried beans, cook two cups of them to yield the six cups required for this recipe.
