White Bean Soup
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This Mediterranean white bean soup is the perfect vegetarian meal that’s packed with plant-based protein and tons of flavor. It’s creamy, comforting and easy to make in one pot!
Mediterranean-inspired meals are on constant rotation in my kitchen, especially in the colder months when I want something warm, nourishing and packed with veggies. This white bean soup is one of my go-tos. It’s creamy, filling, made in one pot and packed with over 20 grams of plant-based protein per serving.
The trick to getting that creamy consistency without any actual cream is blending one can of the cannellini beans with a cup of broth before adding it to the pot. The starch from the beans thickens the whole soup naturally so it feels rich and hearty without any dairy. Pair a bowl with my kale salad or a warm slice of sourdough and you’ve got a cozy, satisfying meal.
Table of Contents
“This was delicious! My five year old ate it all up! I’m not a big soup person, but after the holidays I wanted something light and easy to prepare and decided to try this. This will be a staple in my house now! Thank you!”
Why You’ll Love This White Bean Soup
- Budget-friendly: It’s built on canned beans and a few basic veggies, so it costs very little to make a big pot. Several readers have said the same.
- Cozy Tuscan flavor: Cannellini beans, garlic, herbs and a handful of kale give this the comforting feel of a Tuscan white bean soup, without anything fussy or hard to find.
- Naturally gluten-free: No swaps needed. It’s a comforting bowl that works for gluten-free eaters as written.
- Kid-approved: This one goes over well with little ones, so it’s an easy way to get a nourishing dinner everyone will actually eat.
Ingredients Needed
This soup doesn’t call for any fancy ingredients… all you need are a few fresh veggies and some pantry staples! I bet you already have most of these ingredients in your kitchen right now. Here’s what you need:
- olive oil – to sauté the vegetables and bring out their flavors.
- vegetables – yellow onion, garlic, carrots and celery.
- cannellini beans – the star of the show and what adds the plant-based protein to this soup. If you can’t find cannellini beans you can use great northern beans or navy beans instead.
- vegetable broth – the liquid base of this soup. I recommend using low sodium broth so you can control the amount of salt.
- seasonings – salt, black pepper, dried oregano, thyme, and basil.
- vinegar – to deglaze the pan after sautéing the veggies.
- tamari – for a rich, umami flavor that pairs perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. You can use soy sauce or coconut aminos if you don’t have tamari. Whatever you use, I recommend using low sodium as to not make this soup too salty. If you don’t have low sodium tamari you might want to cut back on the amount of salt you add.
- greens – choose your favorite greens for a pop of color and nutrients. I usually go with baby spinach or curly kale but swiss chard would also be a great option.
- fresh parsley – adds a final touch of freshness.
- fresh parmesan – for serving, adding a salty richness.
White Bean Soup Variations
This soup is delicious as is, but it can also easily be customized based on your taste preferences or what you have on hand. Here’s some ideas:
- Want a creamier texture? I found this soup to be plenty creamy, but if you prefer an even creamier and thicker soup, consider blending a larger portion of the beans or adding a splash of cream or coconut milk towards the end of cooking.
- Vegan: This soup is basically vegan, as long as you leave out the parmesan. If you’d like to get that cheesy flavor without the dairy, try using a dairy-free parmesan, or some nutritional yeast!
- Add more protein: For a non-vegetarian version, you could add ground turkey, ground chicken, ham or even bacon to this soup.
- Add spice: Want to add some heat to this soup? Consider adding a dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
How to Make White Bean Soup
This white bean soup is quite hands off! After you chop and sauté your veggies the remainder of the time the soup is simmering on the stovetop. It’s the perfect recipe to make on busy weeknights.
Step 1: Blend one can of the beans with 1 cup of broth and set aside.
Step 2: Sauté onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add seasonings along with vinegar to deglaze the pot.
Step 3: Add the blended beans, remaining beans and veggie broth. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the soup starts to thicken, about 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the tamari, greens and parsley. Simmer for a few more minutes until the greens wilt. Serve hot with parmesan on top, if desired.
Brittany’s Tip
- Lift those flavors: After sautéing the veggies, use the vinegar to scrape up all the delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of your pot. These little bits pack so much flavor and give your soup that extra depth, so don’t skip this step! It’s like unlocking hidden taste in your dish.
- Add a parmesan rind while it simmers: If you have one, drop a parmesan rind into the pot while the soup simmers and fish it out before serving. It melts into the broth and adds a deep, savory richness. One of my readers shared this tip and it really is a game changer.
What to Serve With White Bean Soup
This white bean soup is filling on its own, but for a more filling meal you could serve it with a fresh salad or warm crusty bread. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Pair this nourishing white bean soup with a baked sweet potato for a simple, satisfying, and heartwarming meal.
- Soup and salad go hand in hand, so serve this soup alongside my easy kale salad or spinach salad for something light and refreshing.
- Pair this white bean soup with crunchy sourdough croutons or a piece of vegan cornbread for a comforting side.
How to Store Leftovers
In the refrigerator: Cool the soup completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
In the freezer: This soup can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag and be sure to leave some space for expansion. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: Warm the soup on the stovetop over medium heat. If it’s too thick, add a little water or broth to reach your desired consistency. You can also reheat this soup in the microwave if you’re in a rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You’ll need to soak the dried beans overnight and cook them until tender before adding them to the soup. Just keep in mind, using dried beans will add a bit more time to the recipe.
Kale, spinach, or Swiss chard all work great. If you prefer a more tender green, go with spinach; if you like something heartier, kale or chard would be perfect.
Yes! Sauté the vegetables first, then transfer them to the slow cooker along with the beans, broth, and seasonings. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Add the greens at the end just like in the stovetop version.
More Soup Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, minced
- 2-3 large carrots, diced, about 1 cup
- 2 celery ribs, diced, about ½ cup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 15 oz cans cannellini beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low sodium veggie broth
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium tamari
- 2-3 cups kale, spinach or swiss chard
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- Grated parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Blend 1 can of the drained beans with 1 cup broth. Set aside.1 15 oz cans cannellini beans or great northern beans, 1 cups low sodium veggie broth
- Add oil to a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, celery, garlic and salt and saute for 7-8 minutes until veggies soften and become fragrant.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 2-3 large carrots, 2 celery ribs, 4 cloves garlic, 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Season with pepper, dried oregano, thyme and basil. Stir to combine and saute for 1-2 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with vinegar.½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried basil, 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Add blended beans, remaining beans and veggie broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until soup starts to thicken.2 15 oz cans cannellini beans or great northern beans, 3 cups low sodium veggie broth
- Add tamari, greens and fresh parsley and simmer for 5 more minutes until the greens wilt.2 Tablespoons low sodium tamari, 2-3 cups kale, ¼ cup fresh parsley
- Serve warm topped with parmesan cheese and crusty bread.Grated parmesan
Notes
- Storage: Let the soup cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For freezing, place in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave, adding water or broth if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Substitutions: For a rich, umami flavor, you can swap tamari with soy sauce or coconut aminos. Just be sure to use a low-sodium option to avoid making the soup too salty. If you’re using regular tamari, consider reducing the amount of added salt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Delicious. Really hit the spot.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this soup, Brittany. Thanks so much for making it and coming back to leave a review!
I don’t eat dairy — do you think coconut milk could work instead of cream for a creamy texture?
I added a Parmesan cheese rind while the soup simmered. It was a delicious addition.
Yum, that’s such a great addition! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Annette!
This soup looked and sounded amazing, but it didn’t turn out that way. I followed the recipe exactly, but it just had no flavor and needed something more. It was very thin. When I reheated the leftovers, I added some half and half and that beefed it up a little, but it just didn’t have the deep, delicious flavor I was looking for. It was disappointing.
Oh no! So sorry to hear that, Janice. Thank you for sharing your feedback with me. I appreciate it.
This is an awesome recipe. I doubled the recipe and added 2lb turkey sausage I made with 93% lean ground turkey. I used Swiss chard, using the chopped stems at the same time as the celery and the leaves at the end as written. Passed on the Parmesan cheese but served with the Cheesecake Factory brown baguettes. Chefs kiss
Love the additions you made to this recipe. I bet it’s delicious with turkey sausage. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was delicious! My five year old ate it all up! I’m not a big soup person, but after the holidays I wanted something light and easy to prepare and decided to try this. This will be a staple in my house now! Thank you!
Yay! I’m so glad this soup was a hit. Thanks for making my recipe and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it!
This soup was so good. It was economical to make, quick to prepare and just one pot needed. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the soup Vicky! I agree—it’s super budget-friendly and that one-pot cleanup really is a breeze. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Not a bad recipe, similar to mine except I only use fresh herbs. Rosemary… No Basil. If I use basil I top with fresh chopped tomatoes
YUM! Sounds delicious. Glad you gave this recipe a try and you are enjoying it, Lana. Thanks for your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
Amazing soup, cooked dried beans and used instead of canned. Super yummy as is, even better with parmesan! I am going to add in some wild rice to try to make that a complete protein. I really like the delicate nutty tast of the great Northern beans, thanks for sharing!
Amazing! I am so glad you gave this soup a try and it turned out delicious for you, Monique. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I truly appreciate it!