I make my Italian Tuscan soup with fire roasted tomatoes, and pack it with veggies and beans. It’s a little smoky and sweet, and tastes like a hug from mom. I made mine 100% plant based, but it’s great with Parmesan too. Ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish.
One of my favorite comfort foods is soup. Tough day? Soup has always been my antidote. And to be straight with you, I could eat soup everyday for the rest of my life and never get sick of it. Since I’m of mixed heritage, I oscillate between French classics like silky potato celery soup and Japanese favorites like homemade miso soup. But Italian soups have always held one of the top spots in my flavor wheelhouse as well.
This week, after a particularly frustrating workday, I started craving Italian beans with lots of colorful veggies. So I made myself a hearty Tuscan soup with carrots, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, pasta, and beans. It was just what I needed. This soup was soul warming and comforting and fixed me right up. I hope it’ll do the same for you!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full recipe steps and measurements.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I always try to use a good first press olive oil when making soups. You’ll be using it to sauté the fragrant garlic, onions and thyme.
- Cannellini Beans: Almost nutty with tender flesh. I use canned beans because they cook quickly.
- Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes: What a great invention! I have fallen in LOVE with the charred flavor of these tomatoes. They add character to soups, stews and sauces and look lovely in the process. One 15-ounce can should do the trick.
- Vegetable Broth: I’m using veggie broth to keep this Italian soup vegan. However, chicken broth would work well if you prefer.
- Elbow Macaroni: Substantive, yet small enough to be spooned up.
- Garlic, Onion and Thyme: This is my fragrant starter for the soup. There’s nothing more evocative of Italian comfort food than the smell of fresh garlic and onions being sautéed in a soup pot!
- Carrot, Zucchini and Spinach: Vibrant colors, and perfect for soaking in the broth.
- Parmesan Cheese (optional): I like to shave or grate a small amount of Parmesan into each bowl as a finishing element just before serving. It’s a yummy, savory touch. Obviously, leave it out if you’re making a vegan soup.
Ingredient Variations
Feel free to use what you’ve got handy and like best. The following ingredients make great substitutes or additions to this Tuscan soup:
- Chicken stock
- Italian sausage
- White beans
- Fresh tomatoes
- Other seasonal vegetables
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Bay leaves (be sure to remove before serving)
- Fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, and oregano
How to Make Tuscan Soup
Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Start the aromatics. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and thyme for about 4 minutes – until the onions are fragrant and translucent.
- Add your soup ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the macaroni, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the macaroni. Once you’ve added your pasta, bring the soup back to a boil – and again lower to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes (or until the pasta is cooked).
- Serve. Ladle it up and serve hot. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan on top if you’re using it. You can also drizzle a little olive oil on top for a slight fruity and floral taste.
Expert Tip
Be sure to cut the carrots and zucchini into uniform sizes. This insures the veggies all cook at the same rate. Obviously a large hunk of carrot takes longer to cook than a sliver.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Keep in a food storage container with a lid. Or just chuck the soup pot (with the lid) in the fridge after it has cooled to room temperature first.
You can freeze leftover Tuscan soup for up to 3 months.
- Freeze in single serving containers or food storage bags after soup has cooled to room temp. Be sure to write today’s date on the containers.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave – or in a pot on the stovetop.
What to Serve With My Tuscan Soup
A big bowl of this veggie and bean soup is filling enough as a main for dinner. I serve it with fresh bread and butter (or bread dipped in olive oil) and that’s dinner served! On the other hand, a small bowl makes a great starter. So here are a few of my favorite things to serve alongside Tuscan soup:
- Chicken Piccata
- Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
- Italian Cauliflower Stir Fry
- Chopped Salad With Avocado and Endive
- Lemon and Parmesan Fettuccine
Frequently Asked Questions
The pasta is actually one of the last ingredients I add to the soup. That’s because, if it’s added alongside the beans and zucchini, it’ll overcook. If you’re looking for al dente perfection, test the macaroni at about the 6 minute mark (and keep testing until it’s just right). One caveat with leftovers is that, with any pasta soup, the macaroni will eventually become waterlogged by the broth. I actually like that though!
Yes! Well, if you want to, you definitely should. I usually add a bit throughout the cooking process – and then do a final seasoning run just before serving. However, since ‘too salty’ and ‘not salty enough’ is a highly personal thing, I leave it to you to determine your own sweet spot. My advice with seasoning is to start slow and taste as you go. You can always add more.
Did you like this hearty Tuscan soup recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comment section below!
Hearty Tuscan Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Wholesome, colorful, rustic Italian comfort food! My Tuscan soup takes about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ounces cannellini beans, drained
- 15 ounces can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup dry elbow macaroni
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 zucchini, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
- 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional), omit for vegan
Instructions
- Start aromatics. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil, garlic, thyme and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
- Add soup ingredients and simmer. Add all other ingredients – except the macaroni – and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add elbow macaroni. Add macaroni, bring the soup back up to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Garnish and serve. Serve hot and topped with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight storage container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 313
- Sugar: 5.8g
- Sodium: 364.2mg
- Fat: 8.9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45.4g
- Fiber: 10.8g
- Protein: 11.8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Questions and Reviews
I’ve made this several times now and have included ground italian sausage too sometimes. Delicious!
This soup was amazing! It tastes just like Olive Garden’s minestrone soup. I’m so glad I found the recipe. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Oh my! I need this in my life. Must print your recipe. Thanks for sharing
Just wanted to let you know this soup is amazing! I use it quite often in my rotation. Quick, healthy and delicious! Thank you!
Made this soup today very delicious didn’t think it was going to be this good
How many bowls did you eat?
This was so quick and easy! And GOOD! Thank you for sharing!
Hi, Lauren! I am a beginner in the kitchen, so I’m glad we are still alive after my experiments 😀 This recipe is very simple, and the soup is very very tasty! Thank you!
Do you think this soup will freeze alright? I am unsure because of the zucchini and noodles. Thank you.
Hi Lauren!
The zucchini should freeze well – the pasta would be the issue. What you could do is separate the soup once all the veggies are cooked and freeze one half. You can then add the noodles to what you are planning to eat on the same day.
Tried this soup on a rainy night and it tastes and smells amazing. I added a couple of my own ingredients like celery and cabbage. Paired it with a nice multi grain boule! Thanks.
This soup is so versatile, it’s a great way to use leftover veggies! Thanks for sharing Emily!
Caroline, I’ve just found your website and haven’t yet had a chance to make any of your recipes, but I absolutely love your site! I really appreciate you putting the nutrition info on the recipes. Can’t wait to try this soup!
Thank you Kim and I hope you find lots of recipes you like! 🙂
I just got done making this dish, and it turned out soooo good! I tweaked the recipe a little by removing the carrots, using pasta shells instead of macaroni, and adding in half a potato, some green onion, a cup of kale, and a shredded rotisserie chicken. It’s pretty cold where I’m from right now, and this soup hit the spot. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome Paige! Your version sounds so comforting – perfect for a snowy day like today in NYC!