I created this white bean soup recipe on a chilly evening when I craved something comforting and nutritious. It’s a staple in our household, especially during busy weeks. It’s feel-good comfort food at its best, packed with protein, fiber, and vegetables. We have a few bean soup recipes on Inspired Taste. There’s this white bean soup with a light tomato broth and kale, creamy white bean soup with rosemary and garlic, our white bean chicken chili, and this easy black bean soup. We also have this incredible lentil soup, although lentils are not technically beans (still delicious, though!).
Key Ingredients
White Beans: This recipe is one of my favorite white bean recipes. I usually use canned beans, but home-cooked beans would be great! Any variety of white bean will work nicely. I love navy beans, cannellini beans, and great northern beans. You can see how to cook black beans or how to cook chickpeas if you would like to cook the beans from scratch. Veggies: To make this bean soup nice and hearty, I add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and lots of greens (like spinach or kale). Tomato Paste and Broth: I love the light tomato broth in this soup, which I make by cooking tomato paste in a bit of oil and then adding chicken broth or veggie broth. Pasta: I love pasta in my soups, so I add a small amount of dried pasta about 10 minutes before serving. Use something small like orzo, Ancini di Pepe, or pearl couscous. Dried quinoa or another quick-cooking grain would work, too. Spices: So the soup is well seasoned and spiced, I add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, and bay leaves. Lemon: Right before serving, I slide a few lemon slices into the soup, which brightens the flavors and looks really pretty. You don’t eat the lemon slices. They are there to steep like tea. I do the same in my lentil soup recipe.
How to Make White Bean Soup
Making our vegetable and white bean soup is simple, and it all happens in one pot! You’ll start with the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook them in olive oil and tomato paste until they begin to soften. Then add more flavor with garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pour in your broth, add the beans, and toss in fresh thyme and bay leaves. Simmer everything until the veggies are tender (about 20 minutes), then stir in the pasta and cook until done. Before serving, slide in a few lemon slices and stir in fresh herbs to perfume the soup. Then serve and enjoy! By the way, if you have some white beans leftover, try our lemony white bean salad! 1 medium onion, chopped 4 medium carrots, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cloves garlic, minced, 4 teaspoons 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional for heat 2 (15oze) cans white beans, drained and rinsed, or substitute 3 cups cooked beans 6 cups (1.4L) chicken stock or vegetable broth 3 stalks fresh thyme or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 bay leaves 1/3 cup (127g) small dried pasta like Ancini di Pepe, orzo, or pearl couscous 4 heaped cups baby spinach or torn kale leaves without stalks 4 lemon slices 2Add the garlic, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, while stirring, for one minute. 3Stir in the beans, broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Partially cover the pot with a lid, and then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. 4Simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 5Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes more. Then add the spinach or kale and cook until bright green and tender and the pasta is cooked, about 5 minutes more. 6Take the pot off the heat and remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in the lemon slices. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Serve. The lemon slices are not intended to be eaten but add a lovely lemon flavor to the soup.
