Cannellini bean soup

Ingredients

• 250 g dried, or 1 pack cookedcannellini beans
• 2 headsescarole
• 2carrots
• 1 stickcelery
• 6 (optional)cherry tomatoes
• 1 clovegarlic
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 leafbay leaf
• to tastesalt
• to tastechilli
• 4 slicescountry-style bread
• to tastefreshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the beans

   Rinse the dried beans and soak them in a bowl of lukewarm water for 8 hours. Drain and rinse them under running water. Wash the celery and cut it into thin slices.

2. 2

   Cook the beans

   Put the celery, cherry tomatoes and salt in a pan with 1 litre of cold water. Bring to the boil, add the beans, lower the heat and cook for 90 minutes.

3. 3

   Toast the bread

   Toast the bread in a toaster or in the oven. Meanwhile, clean the escarole, removing any tough or damaged leaves.

4. 4

   Boil the water

   Bring 2 litres of water to the boil in a saucepan.

5. 5

   Blanch the escarole

   Put the escarole in the boiling water for 7–8 minutes. Drain it and, once it has cooled slightly, squeeze it out by hand.

6. 6

   Season the greens

   Roughly chop the escarole and set it aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the garlic. Add the chilli and escarole, then let them take on the flavour over a high heat.

7. 7

   Add the escarole

   When the escarole starts to dry out, add it to the pan of beans, which should be nearly cooked.

8. 8

   Finish the soup

   Add a bay leaf and cook for a further 10 minutes so the flavours combine.

9. 9

   Prepare the bowls

   Place the toasted or fried bread slices in 4 soup bowls and ladle over the soup.

10. 10

    Serve it hot

    Drizzle the soup with a little uncooked olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Serve piping hot.

What is cannellini bean soup?

Cannellini bean soup is a rustic Italian first course built around creamy white beans and leafy greens. This version combines them with escarole and serves the soup over bread, making the bread part of the meal rather than just an accompaniment.

The combination works because the beans bring a soft, hearty texture while escarole adds a pleasantly bitter note. Garlic, chilli and a final drizzle of olive oil give the simple broth extra character.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 430 calories, 20g protein, 69g carbs, 10g fat.

The beans and bread provide most of the carbohydrates, while the beans also contribute protein. Olive oil supplies most of the fat; serve a generous portion of escarole and other vegetables alongside to balance the plate.

Choosing and preparing the beans

Dried beans: soak them for 8 hours, then drain and rinse before cooking. They need a long, gentle simmer to become tender; check that they are soft before adding the escarole.

Cooked beans: the ingredient list allows a pack of ready-cooked beans, but the method is written for dried beans and does not specify how to adjust the cooking time or water. Add cooked beans only once the vegetables and broth are ready, and heat them through without simmering for 90 minutes.

Handling the escarole

Blanching: the 7–8 minute boil softens the leaves before they are added to the beans. Drain them well, let them cool until comfortable to handle, then squeeze out excess water.

Finish in the pan: roughly chopping the squeezed leaves makes them easier to spoon up with the beans. Briefly cooking them with garlic and chilli helps season the greens before they meet the broth.

Getting the texture right

Tender beans: after the 90-minute simmer, taste a bean before moving on. It should be soft all the way through; if it is still firm, continue cooking until tender.

Good broth: the soup is served over toasted or fried bread, which will soften as it absorbs liquid. Add the broth just before serving if you want the bread to retain more of its crunch.

Timing the components

Soaking: allow 8 hours for the dried beans, then plan for 90 minutes of cooking before they are nearly ready. The escarole is prepared separately while the beans simmer.

Final simmer: once the greens are added, cook everything together for 10 minutes to bring the flavours together. Toast the bread towards the end so it is ready when the soup is.

Serving the soup

Bread: use sturdy country-style slices so they can sit in the bottom of a soup bowl without falling apart immediately. Toast them for a firmer base, or fry them as the method suggests.

Finish: serve the soup hot with a thin drizzle of olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. A simple green salad alongside can add freshness to the meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a roomy pan so the beans can simmer without boiling over.
• Keep the beans at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
• Remove only the tough or damaged escarole leaves, as the tender leaves soften during blanching.
• Squeeze the blanched escarole well so it does not water down the frying pan.
• Toast the bread close to serving time for a crisper texture.
• Taste the broth before serving and adjust the salt and chilli to your preference.

Variations

• Use cooked beans: add them near the end and heat through rather than following the long dried-bean simmer.
• Add the carrots: slice them and cook them with the celery in the bean broth.
• Skip the tomatoes: leave out the optional cherry tomatoes for a simpler broth.
• Adjust the chilli: use a small pinch for gentle warmth or omit it for a milder soup.
• Make it more substantial: fry the bread and serve a larger slice in each bowl.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the soak: dried beans may take longer to cook; soak them for 8 hours as directed.
• Boiling too vigorously: the beans can break up; keep the pan at a gentle simmer.
• Leaving water in the escarole: it can dilute the flavour; drain and squeeze the leaves thoroughly.
• Adding the bread too early: it can turn very soft; place it in the bowls just before ladling in the soup.
• Serving firm beans: simmer them longer until tender before adding the escarole.

How to store

Store leftover soup separately from the bread in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup gently in a saucepan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if it has thickened; toast fresh bread to serve.

Frequently asked questions