Creamy Tuscan soup with cannellini beans, wilted spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, finished with cream and fresh basil.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Beans & Broth
05 - 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 4 cups vegetable broth (use certified gluten-free broth if required)
→ Flavorings
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained and roughly chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or a blend of oregano, basil, thyme)
09 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Creaminess
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (substitute canned coconut cream for a dairy-free option)
12 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
→ Garnish (optional)
13 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (omit for dairy-free)
14 - Fresh basil leaves
# How-To:
01 - Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and diced carrots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.
03 - Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dried Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes if using; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to bloom the flavors.
04 - Stir in the drained cannellini beans and the vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Remove from heat briefly and use an immersion blender to purée roughly half of the soup directly in the pot, leaving some beans and vegetables whole for texture. Alternatively, transfer half to a countertop blender, purée until smooth, and return to the pot.
06 - Return the pot to low–medium heat, stir in the chopped spinach and cook 2–3 minutes until wilted.
07 - Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes without boiling, then adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves as desired.
