Parmesan Tuscan White Beans

What would you get if you took the beloved Zuppa Toscana and turned it into a creamy bean dish? Well, here we have it! Now, I need to be clear: this is not a soup. Instead, it’s simmered beans with spicy sausage and hearty kale, tossed with a heaping amount of Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. It’s indulgent and practically screaming for some crusty bread. Oh! And it’s ready in under 35 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.

This Tuscan white bean skillet is similar to my Tuscan Gnocchi. So if beans are not your thing head over to this 30 minute gnocchi recipe for the same comforting flavors.

What You’ll Need For Tuscan White Beans

• Cannellini Beans –This recipe is all about ease and convenience, so we’re going with canned cannellini beans here. Unfortunately, if you’re team dried beans, the skillet doesn’t cook long enough to soften them, even with an overnight soak.
  • Substitutions: Any canned white bean works, including Great Northern beans, small white beans, and navy beans.
• Sausage – I used spicy Italian sausage because I like a little heat, but if you’re sensitive to spice, you can also use mild Italian sausage. Sausage links or loose sausage both work.
  • Substitutions: If you don’t eat pork, no problem! Swap it for spicy or mild chicken sausage. Vegetarian? Leave it out completely!
• Kale – Dino kale, otherwise known as lacinato kale. This variety can be a bit harder to find, but you can identify it by its dark green leaves and bumpy texture (kind of like dinosaur skin).
  • Substitution: Curly kale (you know, the big bunches you find in almost every supermarket) or even spinach are great swaps if you can’t find dino kale.
• Yellow Onion
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Chicken Broth – Use a flavorful chicken broth here. My go-to is always Better Than Bouillon because I can adjust the intensity of the flavor.
  • Substitution: Vegetable broth is a great swap if you are looking to make this vegetarian.
• Parmesan Cheese + Rind – If you didn’t know, Parmesan rinds are my secret ingredient for cozy, creamy dishes like this. The rind adds a tremendous amount of flavor. If you aren’t already saving your rinds, start! They last a while in the refrigerator, or you can freeze them for longer storage. Some stores, like Whole Foods, even sell containers of Parmesan rinds for just a few dollars.
• Heavy Cream

Tools Needed

• Large Skillet, Saute Pan, or Braiser – Something large enough to comfortably hold 2 cans of beans. +1 1/2 cups of liquid.

How To Make Tuscan White Beans

1. Sauté the Sausage – Place your skillet or wide sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add a light drizzle of olive oil. Heat for 10 seconds before adding the sausage, removed from its casing. Sear for 1 minute before breaking it apart. Using a large spoon (preferably wooden), break the sausage into small crumbles with a twisting motion. This will take a few minutes to achieve the desired size. Once the sausage is broken apart, add the onions and garlic. Mix and cook for 2–3 minutes, ensuring the garlic doesn’t brown. If it begins to burn, lower the heat.

If you’re removing the sausage you will start with sautéing the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes then continuing onto step 2.

2. Simmer + Skim – To the pan, add the beans (one can drained and the other with its liquid), chicken broth, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, skim the layer of fat from the top. You don’t need to remove all of it, and depending on how fatty your sausage is, you may not need to skim it at all. Aim to remove about half, as too much fat can cause the cream added later to separate.

4. Prep the Lacinato Kale – While the pan is simmering prep the kale. For best results the leaves need to be removed from the hearty stem. Some people simply cut it out, but I have a hack! Break the leaf away at the base, then use two fingers to pinch the stem. With a quick pull down, the stem should separate cleanly from the leaf. From there give the leaves a rough chop for this recipe. (see images below!)

4. Finish + Serve – Add the kale and simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream, mix to combine, and simmer for 1 more minute before turning off the heat. Remove the Parmesan rind, then add the grated Parmesan cheese and mix until fully incorporated. Serve warm.

Recipe Video

How To Serve Tuscan White Beans

Need to know what to serve with these creamy Parmesan Tuscan white beans? I got you. Aim for something light with a touch of acidity to cut through the richness of the beans. My Beets & Greens, Crunchy Parmesan Kale Salad, and Maroulosalata are all great, quick and easy options to pair with this dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing / Reheating