If you've ever craved a bowl of pure comfort-rich broth, hearty vegetables, beans, a swirl of olive oil and crusty bread-then this Tuscan vegetable soup recipe will become your new favorite. This isn't your run-of-the-mill minestrone: it's rustic, soul-warming, and full of Italian character.
What Is Tuscan Vegetable Soup?
There are different tuscan vegetable soups but they all are essentially hearty, vegetable and bean-based soups rooted in the Tuscany region.
One iconic version is ribollita (which literally means "re-boiled"), a traditionally dish made by reheating leftover a bread vegetable soup.
That one takes a while to make, this one instead is super quick and easy. In Italy this one is called "Zuppa Frantoiana" which is the vegetable soup that is made in winter when the during the olive pressing season, made with the freshly pressed oil, strong, fragrant, and slightly peppery (Frantoio means oil mill).
It perfectly embody the anti-waste cuisine, as it celebrates seasonal produce and makes creative use of ingredients. It has many variations, as everyone has their own secret to make it special.
It's made with whatever vegetables you have on hand, so you can easily substitute with what you have.
I love Tuscan cuisine because it has so many dishes rooted in simplicity, full of vegetables. Like this chickpea stew and this pappa al pomodoro.
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Ingredients
- Borlotti Beans: These Italian beans are the heart of any good Tuscan vegetable soup, giving it richness, texture, and protein while thickening the broth naturally.
- Carrot: A touch of sweetness from fresh carrot balances the savory flavors and adds beautiful color to the soup base.
- Kale: Tuscan kale (also called cavolo nero) provides deep, earthy flavor and a tender bite once simmered.
- Cabbage: it adds body, fiber, and that rustic countryside feel that defines any traditional Italian vegetable soup.
- Potato: Potatoes gently thicken the broth and give the soup a creamy texture without using any dairy.
- Onion: Sweet, sautéed onion builds the aromatic foundation of this soup, infusing every spoonful with warmth.
- Celery: It rounds out the classic Italian soffritto flavor trio with onion and carrot.
- Pumpkin: It adds a hint of sweetness and a velvety finish-perfect for an Italian winter soup that feels both hearty and cozy.
- Olive Oil: High-quality extra virgin olive oil enhances every ingredient, creating that authentic taste and glossy finish.
- Vegetable Broth: A light yet flavorful broth ties it all together, allowing the natural sweetness of the vegetables to shine while keeping the soup comforting and nourishing.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare and dice the vegetables
Finely dice half the onion, carrot, celery for the soffritto. Dice the potato and pumpkin. Roughly chop cabbage and kale.
Sauté the soffritto
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add half the onion, carrot, and celery, plus a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes until soft but not browned.
Add beans
Add the entire can of borlotti beans (including their liquid) into the pot. Stir gently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer.
Sauté remaining aromatics and vegetables
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the other 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the remaining onion and let it soften. As it starts to caramelize, add diced potato and pumpkin. Toss and allow them to take slight color for 2-3 minutes.
Combine greens and broth
Add chopped kale and cabbage to that pan. Pour in the vegetable broth, just enough so the mixture is barely submerged. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until all vegetables are tender. (Depending on your preferred consistency you can remove some broth if too liquid)
Blend to creamy
Scoop about 1.5 ladles of the bean-soffritto mixture and blend (or puree) with some water until smooth and creamy.
Add that back into the pot with the pumpkin, potato, and greens, along with the rest of the borlotti bean mixture.
Final simmer and adjustments
Stir well, then let it simmer a few more minutes for the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and consistency. Let it rest: if possible, let the soup sit 5 minutes before serving so flavors meld.
Serve
Ladle into bowls, drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with toasted bread.
Hint: Toast your bread (or rub with garlic) just before serving-the contrast of crisp bread and warm soup is divine. And the olive oil drizzle really makes it shine.
Substitutions
This recipe is super versatile. You can use any vegetables you have on hand:
- Kale - instead of kale, you can either use more cabbage, or use other greens like spinach.
- Potato - you can use sweet potato
- Beans - here I use borlotti but cannellini work too!
Equipment
You don't need fancy gear, but here are a few tips to make this better:
A heavy soup pot is ideal.
A blender or immersion blender for pureeing part of the beans.
A ladle for scooping.
A sharp knife and cutting board for prepping.
Storage
Refrigerator: Keep the soup in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Store separate from the bread.
Reheating: Warm gently over low heat. If it becomes too thick, thin with a little extra broth or water.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Tuscan Vegetable Soup - Zuppa Frantoiana
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil plus more for topping
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 white onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 can borlotti beans 400g/15 oz gross weight
- 1 small potato
- 1 cup diced pumpkin
- 1.5 cups tightly packed roughly chopped kale t
- 2 cups tightly packed roughly chopped cabbage
- 6-7 ladles hot vegetable broth
- salt to taste
- black pepper
Instructions
Prepare and dice the vegetables
- Finely dice half the onion, carrot, celery for the soffritto. Peel and dice the potato and pumpkin. Roughly chop cabbage and kale.1 medium carrot, 1 white onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 small potato, 1 cup diced pumpkin
Sauté the soffritto
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add half the onion, carrot, and celery, plus a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes until soft but not browned.2 tablespoon olive oil, salt to taste
Add beans
- Add the entire can of borlotti beans (including their liquid) into the pot with the soffritto (onion, carrot, celery) Stir gently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer.1 can borlotti beans
Sauté remaining aromatics and vegetables
- Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the other 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the remaining onion and let it soften. As it starts to caramelize, add diced potato and pumpkin. Toss and allow them to take slight color for 2-3 minutes.
Combine greens and broth
- Add chopped kale and cabbage to that pan. Pour in the vegetable broth, just enough so the vegetables are barely submerged. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until all vegetables are tender. (Depending on your preferred consistency you can remove some broth if too liquid)1.5 cups tightly packed roughly chopped kale, 2 cups tightly packed roughly chopped cabbage, 6-7 ladles hot vegetable broth
Blend to creamy
- Scoop about 1.5 ladles of the bean-soffritto mixture and blend with some water until smooth and creamy.
- Add that back into the pot with the pumpkin, potato, and greens, along with the rest of the borlotti bean mixture.
Final simmer and adjustments
- Stir well, then let it simmer a few more minutes for the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and consistency. Let it rest: if possible, let the soup sit 5 minutes before serving so flavors meld.black pepper
Serve
- Ladle into bowls, drizzle with more good extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with toasted bread!
FAQ
What is traditional Tuscan soup?
In Tuscany it's very common to use simple, humble ingredients-leftovers, vegetables on hand, beans, and day-old bread. The cuisine is about making the most of what's available.
What is the most popular soup in Italy?
That's tricky, as it depends on region and season. Minestrone, pasta e fagioli, ribollita are very common. Zuppa Toscana often appears on U.S. Italian restaurant menus (though not always true to the original).
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