If you love cozy, one-pot meals, you’ll also want to try my Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup and this ultra-comforting Chicken Tortellini Soup.
This White Bean Soup is the kind of pot you come back to again and again — especially once the weather turns. It’s hearty and creamy without being heavy, loaded with vegetables, and done in just 40 minutes from start to finish. The trick that makes the whole thing taste like it’s been simmering all day? Blending half the beans before adding them in. It creates the silkiest broth without any cream.
This is a genuinely easy weeknight dinner that serves eight, so it’s just as great for feeding a crowd as it is for having leftovers ready to go. A squeeze of lemon juice and a handful of fresh Parmesan stirred in at the end bring everything together beautifully. Pile on some croutons and extra cracked pepper, and you’ve got a bowl that feels like a real treat.
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Reader Love
This is the first time i have blended beans for a soup and omg that made the soup so creamy! Thankyou for the recipe!
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in 40 minutes. Everything comes together in one pot, making cleanup just as easy as the cooking.
- Incredibly creamy texture. Blending half the canned beans before adding them creates a rich, velvety broth — no cream required.
- Vegetables in every spoonful. Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and fresh spinach all go into a single pot.
- Big, savory flavor. Thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a finishing squeeze of lemon juice layer up into something that tastes far more involved than it is.
- Easy to customize. Works great as-is, and just as good with add-ins like sausage, rotisserie chicken, or a handful of extra greens.
- Makes a generous batch. Eight servings means plenty for the whole table — or a week of easy lunches.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Oil: Olive oil and avocado oil both work well here — use whichever you have on hand. You can also use just 1 tablespoon if you prefer less oil, or skip it and use a splash of broth to cook the vegetables.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach wilts down quickly and works beautifully. Baby kale or chopped kale are good alternatives — just add a minute or two to the wilting time.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan gives the best flavor, but nutritional yeast is a great swap to keep it dairy-free and vegan.
- Vegetable broth: Use your favorite store-bought vegetable broth. Chicken broth works just as well if you’re not keeping this vegetarian.
- Red pepper flakes: Start with ¼ teaspoon for a gentle kick, or dial it back to ⅛ teaspoon — or leave it out entirely — if you’re sensitive to heat.
✨ Variations
- Add sausage: Slice and brown some Italian sausage or smoked sausage in the pot before you cook the vegetables, then proceed as written. It turns the soup into a heartier, meaty meal.
- Add rotisserie chicken: Stir in about a cup of shredded rotisserie chicken along with the spinach for a quick protein boost.
- Make it chunkier: Skip the blending step and add all three cans of beans whole. The soup will be thinner and brothier, but still delicious.
- Add a parmesan rind: Drop a Parmesan rind into the pot when you add the broth. Fish it out before serving — it adds a deep, savory backbone to the broth.
- Boost the greens: Double up the spinach, or swap in a mix of spinach and chopped kale for even more vegetables in every bowl.
〰️ How to serve
- Top each bowl with crunchy Air Fryer Croutons, extra grated Parmesan, and a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve alongside a thick slice of Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread for dipping — it’s a perfect pairing.
- Ladle into bowls right away while it’s hot, or let it cool slightly and pack into containers for easy weekday lunches.
- A light drizzle of good olive oil over the top just before serving adds a lovely finishing touch.
💬 FAQs
Can I use dried white beans instead of canned?
This recipe is written for canned white beans, which is what makes it a 40-minute soup. If you’d like to use dried beans, you’ll need to cook them fully before starting the recipe — then use the equivalent of three 15.5-ounce cans (roughly 4½ cups of cooked beans) and proceed as directed.
What kind of white beans work best?
Cannellini beans are a great choice — they’re creamy and mild-flavored and blend up beautifully. Great Northern beans or navy beans will also work well. Any variety of canned white beans you have on hand should do the trick.
Can I make this soup ahead of time, and does it reheat well?
Yes — this soup reheats really nicely. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you reheat it, the soup may thicken up a bit as it sits; just add a splash of water or broth to loosen it back to your preferred consistency.
Can I freeze this soup?
Soups with beans and vegetables generally freeze well. Let the soup cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if needed.
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White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cans (15.5 ounces each) white beans, drained and rinsed (cannellini or Great Northern), divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (can be decreased to ⅛ teaspoon or omitted)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups fresh spinach, about 2 handfuls
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Garnishes:
- Croutons
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Blend Half of the Canned Beans: In a blender or food processor, blend half of the beans until smooth (if needed, add 1-2 Tablespoons of water to make it easier to blend). Use a rubber spatula to scrape the pureed beans into a bowl, then set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Garlic and Herbs: Add minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Broth and Beans: Pour in the vegetable broth, pureed beans, and remaining whole beans. Add salt and pepper, then stir to combine everything. Increase stovetop heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce stovetop heat to medium or medium-low (it should be hot enough to maintain a gentle simmer, but not be boiling). Cook for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add Spinach and Lemon Juice: Stir in spinach and let it wilt, which should take about 2-3 minutes. Turn off stovetop heat, then add grated Parmesan cheese and lemon juice.
- Serve: Carefully taste, then add more salt and pepper, depending on taste preferences. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with croutons, grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked pepper, then serve.
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