Creamy Cannellini Bean Soup with Maltagliati
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 1 h 50 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Low
- Note + the soaking time for the beans (about 8-12 h)
PRESENTATION
So, here’s the thing: creamy cannellini bean soup with maltagliati pasta is a real treat, you know? This classic from Lombardy really shows off what makes northern Italian bean soup so comforting and special. Seriously, it is good. It starts with onion, carrot, and celery—cooked down slowly until everything smells just right. And you know what? The fennel seeds sneak in this delicate aroma that's kind of sweet and savory. The beans, they get super tender the longer they bubble away. Really, they do. Once the beans break down, they make this naturally creamy texture. It’s almost like you added cream, but nope, it’s just the magic of time. The maltagliati pasta recipe? Yeah, that brings in these uneven, rustic shapes that soak up all the flavors, turning the whole thing into a bowl of warm, hearty soup. It’s filling and kind of nostalgic.
Chef Cesare Battisti over at Ratanà in Milan takes this traditional Italian soup even further. And here’s the twist: he finishes it off with celery leaf oil. This gives it a fresh, aromatic punch. Super cool. It respects how families in Lombardy have been making white bean soup for ages but adds something bold and green on top. You’ve got dishes like ‘Pisarei e fasò’ in Piacenza or ‘Pasta e fagioli alla napoletana’ in Naples, but really, this version belongs to the north. And people love how the soft, creamy beans mix with those chewy bits of pasta—making the soup come out smooth and moist from the slow cooking. Perfect for a chilly night, sharing stories around the table. And the taste? It's like a bit of Italian history in every bite.
With just a handful of everyday ingredients and a little patience, you get all that deep, homemade flavor that feels just right—plus, a bright, herby finish that makes you want to go back for more. For sure. Whether as a starter or a main course, this creamy cannellini bean soup delivers the comforting taste of Italy right to your kitchen.
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INGREDIENTS
- Maltagliati pasta 11.5 oz (320 g)
- Dried cannellini beans 2 cups (400 g)
- Carrots 4 oz (110 g)
- Yellow onions 2.5 oz (70 g)
- Celery 0.7 cup (70 g) - (1 stalk)
- Vegetable broth 2 cups (500 g)
- Juniper berries 1
- Fresh chili pepper to taste
- Fennel seeds 1 tsp (3 g)
- Bay leaves 1 leaf
- Wild fennel to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- for the celery oil
- Celery 1 ½ tbsp (5 g) - the leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil 1.3 tbsp (20 g)
How to prepare Creamy Cannellini Bean Soup with Maltagliati
To prepare the creamy cannellini bean soup with maltagliati, first place the dried cannellini beans in a large bowl, cover them with plenty of cold water and soak overnight. The next day, rinse them, drain and set aside.
At this point prepare the Vegetable broth. Once ready, strain it if necessary and keep it warm so it b4s ready to use during cooking. Peel the carrot and cut it into 3/16-inch (about 0.2 in) cubes 1. Do the same with the onion 2 and the celery stalks 3. Also set aside a handful of the celery b4s green leaves; we b4ll use them later.
Pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil into a large saucepan and warm it over low heat. Add the carrot, celery and onion 4. Add a bay leaf as well 5 and gently soften the soffritto, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant without taking on color. Then add the drained cannellini beans 6.
Stir to coat them, add the salt 7 and cover with the hot vegetable broth 8. Add 1 or 2 juniper berries 9.
Add the fennel seeds as well 10, stir 11 and continue cooking over very low heat for about an hour and a half, stirring occasionally and adding broth as needed. To obtain an extra-creamy soup you can extend the cooking up to 3 hours, adding more broth. Meanwhile prepare the celery oil: collect the celery b4s green leaves in the jar of a blender and add the extra virgin olive oil 12.
Blend until you obtain a smooth mixture 13. Strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve 14 and set it aside 15.
The soup will be ready when the beans have broken down, helping to make the soup naturally thick and creamy 16. At this point, add the maltagliati directly into the pot 17 and let them cook in the soup liquid, stirring occasionally; it will take about 6 minutes. Add more broth if needed. Also add a pinch of chili flakes 18.
At the end of cooking, adjust the salt 19 and pepper 20. Add some chopped fennel fronds and stir again 21.
Plate and finish with a few drops of the celery oil 22, a grind of freshly ground black pepper and, if you like, some fennel fronds 23. Serve the creamy cannellini bean soup with maltagliati piping hot 24!