Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic, minced
Soup Body
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 400 g canned white beans, drained and rinsed
- 250 ml water
- 4 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 298 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 1566 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1252 mg
- Calcium
- 188 mg
- Iron
- 6.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 105 mg
- Phosphorus
- 114 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 44 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 27 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 127 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the medium saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and saute for 5 minutes until translucent and softened.
Add the minced garlic to the saucepan. Saute for 1 minute, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Pour the canned crushed tomatoes, drained white beans, water, kosher salt, and black pepper into the saucepan. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a vigorous boil.
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the saucepan, and simmer the soup gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the beans to absorb the tomato broth.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Ladle the hot soup directly into serving bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Rinsing canned beans removes excess starch and sodium, giving the soup a much cleaner flavor profile and preventing the broth from becoming murky.
- Allowing the onion to cook slowly without browning builds a sweet foundational flavor that balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes.
- Smashing a small portion of the white beans against the side of the pot naturally releases their starches, thickening the broth without the need for flour or cornstarch.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The soup will thicken as it sits; add a splash of water when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in portioned containers leaving head room for expansion.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until gently simmering, or microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick
Cause: Too much liquid evaporated during the simmering process, often caused by the heat being too high or the pot being left completely uncovered.
Fix: Stir in additional hot water, 50ml at a time, until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
Prevention: Ensure the heat is turned down to low and partially cover the pot while simmering to trap moisture.
Garlic tastes bitter
Cause: Garlic was cooked at too high a temperature or for too long before adding liquids, causing it to scorch.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Stir garlic constantly and add the wet ingredients immediately after 60 seconds of cooking.
Cultural Context
Rustic bean and tomato soups are a cornerstone of Mediterranean peasant cooking, historically known in Italy as cucina povera. These dishes relied on durable pantry staples and legumes to provide hearty, nutritious meals when fresh ingredients were scarce. This modern pantry version honors that tradition of simplicity, transforming humble canned goods into a nourishing meal.
