After a pretty mild winter, we have been hit nonstop with snow in Colorado for the last few days. When the weather changes and snow starts to fall, all we want to do is eat a big bowl of soup and binge Netflix on the couch. We love this recipe for Tuscan White Bean Soup because the recipe is pretty light and super easy to make. Minus the proscuitto and mascarpone, you likely have most of the ingredients in your refrigerator already. It is great as is, but also can be amped up with the Garlic Mascarpone Toast if you want to serve it for a dinner party. The toast is creamy and so decadent. While our directions listed below call for one toast per person, Tuck’s dad encourages you to double it- you’ll want at least two for each bowl of soup.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes      Cooking Time: 20 minutes         Total Time: 35 minutes6

Ingredients for Soup: 

• 6 oz pancetta, sliced thick and diced
• 1 large vidallia onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 stalks of celery, grated or diced
• 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium fresh sprigs of rosemary, left whole
• 2 medium fresh sprig thyme, left whole
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 32 ounces chicken stock
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 tbs hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Mascarpone Toasts: 

• 1 baguette, cut into 4 thick slices 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 tbs olive oil 
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed. 
• salt and pepper 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Heat a large soup pot on low heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the fats start to cook out of the pancetta but it doesn’t brown excessively.
3. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to the pan. If it seems a little dry, add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook for another 4 minutes on medium heat, or until the vegetables start to become translucent and caramelized.
4. Add the cannellini beans, rosemary, and thyme to the pot. Give the ingredients a big stir, and cook another few minutes.
5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Make sure to use a spatula to really scrape the bottom if any of the brown bits have started to stick.
6. Add the chicken stock to the pot and cook for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat. The broth should stay at a very low simmer and not boil.
7. While the soup is cooking, make the mascarpone toasts. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, and thyme to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the garlic is toasted brown but not burnt. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir the garlic and thyme oil into the 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the mascarpone mix over each of the four baguette slices. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to serve. 
8. Remove the rosemary and thyme from the soup. Add the hot sauce and whisk in the mascarpone to create a creamy texture.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. Serve each bowl with a slice of mascarpone toast.