This simple White Bean Soup, packed with fresh vegetables, brings warmth and comfort throughout the cold season. It’s also ideal for freezing, making it a convenient option to store for future cozy meals!
Bean Soup Recipe
There’s nothing more satisfying than cozying up with a warm, hearty bowl of soup! If you have already made my Italian Sausage Soup with Kale and Beans, you’d know what I’m talking about. But today, I’m sharing one of my absolute favorite soup recipes that never fails to bring comfort and warmth – this wonderful Bean Soup. White Bean Soup, a classic dish, is incredibly delicious and versatile. It is a powerhouse of flavors and nutrients, packed with fresh vegetables, protein, fiber, and vitamins. The best part is that this is one of the easiest soups you can make. Quick and straightforward prep work makes this bean soup a perfect meal for any night of the week. I often make it in large portions and refrigerate it for easy leftovers. You can also freeze the soup for up to three months for quick dinners in the future.
Why You’ll Love This Soup
- Versatile: This classic comfort dish can be tailored to your tastes and is packed with good-for-you ingredients.
- Nutritious: Filled with fresh vegetables and a tasty broth, it’s a healthy option that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
- Easy to Make: The recipe is as simple to put together as it is tasty, making it accessible to cooks of all skill levels.
- Great for Leftovers: You can make it in large portions to refrigerate or freeze it for later.
- Vegetarian-Friendly: Made with ingredients that are suitable for vegetarians, it’s a dish that can be enjoyed by all.
- Hearty and Filling: With healthy add-ins like Great Northern Beans, corn, and fresh baby spinach, this soup will satisfy everyone at the table.
How To Make White Bean Soup
This easy White Bean Soup offers a warm and comforting treat for the winter months. Plus, it’s perfect for freezing so that you can have convenient, cozy meals ready for later! Remember to scroll down to the recipe card to get complete recipe information.
Ingredients For Bean Soup
- Olive Oil & Butter
- Onions, Garlic, Carrots, and Celery
- Fresh Parsley, Dried Oregano, & Bay Leaf
- Vegetable or Chicken Broth
- Great Northern Beans, Corn, & Fresh Baby Spinach
- Grated parmesan cheese & Toasted Bread for serving
Directions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Start by heating olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, sautéing until they are soft and fragrant.
- Stir in the Ingredients and Cook: Add the broth, white beans, and herbs to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Add Greens: For a touch of green and a boost of nutrients, stir in fresh spinach or kale and cook until wilted.
- Enjoy! Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
What Beans To Use For This Soup
Great Northern Beans are best for this soup because they absorb the flavor of all the other ingredients. If you’re in a pinch and need a different kind of bean, other white beans like cannellini beans or navy beans will work too. Also, to make things easier, I use canned beans for this recipe. Just drain and rinse the beans and add them to your soup.
Tips And Variations For White Bean Soup
One of the things I love about this bean soup is how flexible it is. It can be easily customized to your liking or made to satisfy your current cravings. Here are some ideas you can use:
- Bean Type: Start with the suggested Great Northern Beans but don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of beans to find the flavor and texture you prefer. Canned beans are convenient, but dried beans can also work when properly soaked and cooked.
- Herbs and Spices: Adjust herbs and spices to match your flavor preferences.
- Avoid Overcooking: Be mindful of the cooking time, especially with vegetables and beans, to prevent them from getting mushy.
- Broth Choice: Using homemade or good-quality broth can enhance the soup’s flavor significantly.
- Adjusting Thickness: Add a bit of water or more broth if the soup is too thick for you. For a creamy texture, blend half of the soup and mix it back in.
- Adding Fresh Options: Include zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, or rosemary if you want something extra in the soup. If you have vegetables that have been in the refrigerator a bit too long and you don’t want them to go to waste, add them to the soup.
- Meat Options: This soup can easily include cooked air fryer chicken tenders, Italian sausage, or bacon crumbles if you want a meatier flavor.
What To Serve with Soups
These serving suggestions can elevate your dinner, making it a tastier, complete meal. Feel free to try different combinations to find what you like best!
- Salad: Start off your meal with a simple salad, like my Macedonian-Style Grape Caprese Salad, or this Chef Salad or Mediterranean Tortellini Salad.
- Crusty Bread also pairs well with soup. Try this Rosemary and Garlic No-Knead Skillet Bread or these Easy Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks. Or, if you are feeling fancy, top the soup with some croutons!
- Spicy Option: Serve hot sauce or red pepper flakes on the side for those who prefer a spicy kick.
Storing Leftover Soup
- To Refrigerate: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing. Place the cooled soup in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Portion the cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving some space at the top for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or gently reheat from frozen on the stove, stirring often to avoid uneven heating.
More Recipes with Beans
- Quick Baked Beans
- Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Mediterranean White Bean Salad
ENJOY!
White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into coins
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cans (15.5 ounces, each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup canned corn kernels, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
- toasted bread slices, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsley to the heated oil; cook for 5 minutes or until just tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add vegetable broth; stir in salt, pepper, dried oregano and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and corn kernels; continue to cook for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper; adjust accordingly.
- Add spinach and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with toasted bread slices.
Notes
- This recipe is prepared with canned beans; however, if you’re using dried beans, remember to soak them overnight before use. (Follow the directions on the packaging). This reduces cooking time and makes the beans easier to digest.
- Use Good-Quality Broth/Stock: This soup has only a handful of ingredients, so you want to use the good stuff – use a high-quality vegetable or chicken broth for the best flavor.
- Season to Taste: I always say this, but it’s important! Before serving, always taste your soup (or whatever else you’ve cooked), and adjust the seasoning(s) as needed. Also, remember that you can always add more salt, but you can’t take it out.
- Don’t rush the cooking process. Allow the soup to simmer so that the flavors can fully develop.
- Adding cooked sausage or smoked ham can give the soup a hearty and rich flavor.
- Feel free to add more vegetables to your soup; zucchini and bell peppers add extra texture and flavor.
- If you like a little heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne.
- For a creamier texture, you could blend part of the soup and mix it back in. Alternatively, stir in a bit of cream or coconut milk at the end of cooking.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Fabulous! I definitely will make this again!
The soup was very good. I added extra garlic, some diced tomatoe, chunks of smoked ham and some half and half and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. I also let it simmer for an extra 30 min so the beans were softer and creamier. Really nice meal on a cold rainy night!
Can you make this in the crockpot?
Yes, you can cook this soup in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on LOW, or about 4 hours on HIGH.
One of my most favorite recipes! We love this soup at our house! I forgot to buy the corn, but we didn’t miss it. I added a bit of half-and-half. We topped it with shaved Parmesan, and had buttered toasted French bread.
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This soup is delicious. I let the ingredients simmer for 30 minutes to make the soup a little thicker. Even my picky husband liked it.
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Very delicious, love the flavours….left out the corn because it is highly inflammatory and my worst allergy, even worse than gluten for me personally.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This was Amazing!!! I’ll honest I am NOT a white bean fan but, my Hubby loves them so I had him in mind when I decided to make this recipe…. He is always willing to try new foods…. The only I did different was add bacon and 2 more carrots and extra garlic …. I cooked the bacon in the oven and drained on paper towel then cut and added to the soup last with the drained and rinsed canned white beans …. S + P to taste and we made garlic toast to go with it…. I was pleasantly pleased and the hubs kept shaking his head yes and said it was a keeper!!!
Thanks so much for sharing this “Keeper” 😉
I made this as written and it was very good. Next time I will try it with chicken broth as that’s what I’m used to. I wanted to try it first with vegetable broth because my son and his girlfriend are vegetarian. They will love this.
I did simmer it covered for about 30 minutes. This made the beans soft so the soup overall was more creamy.
Thanks for sharing!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
I never leave a rating for recipes but I was inspired to because this the best soup I’ve ever tasted and made. Absolutely exceptional!!!!
That’s great to hear! I’m very happy you loved it! Thank you so much for chiming in! 🙂
This is the third time I’ve made this – so tasty and hearty!!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made it. It was delicious, but it is way more than 6 servings. More like 10 to 12 servings. I sprinkled shaved parmesan and half a slice of Dave’s organic sprouted bread, toasted.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU!:)
12 servings, serious? The amount of ingredients would not serve 12 people. Not as a meal, anyway. Perhaps as a little snack for 12 small children, but that’s about it.
So yummy! This was my second time making it. The first time, I made it exactly as written. Big hit. This time, we had some leftover rotini and cooked peppers and a tiny bit of Italian sausage, so I threw them in. Still fabulous. It’s definitely going in the keeper file.
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I am making this soup right now. It smells so good. I love when a soup aroma fills the house. I’m sure it will be great.
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I just made it and it smells wonderful. My husband has a hard time without meat. So I made it and scooped out some in a separate pan for me and put chicken in his. Have not tasted it yet, but I am sure it’s good. I love when my house takes on the aroma of a good soup.
Will be making this recipe tomorrow, will this be enough for 5 persons or will I have to add more of each ingredient? 😄
Hi!
If serving it as a side dish, it should be enough. If you want to add more, like say 2 cups per person, then yes, make more! 😊
Alright thank you 😄
I’ll make this as a main and will make a nice salad on the side to it. I’ll let you know how it goes thank you 😄
I’ve been looking for keto friendly or vegetarian recipes to continue to align my diet with my exercise regimen to lose weight and get more fit. Just made this and am eating it now. Fabulous!! Thank you so much for sharing this..I plan on making it pretty regularly. 🙂
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Looks good but I can’t get through all the ads and videos that cover 3/4 of my screen.
Hi!
The comments section is all the way at the bottom of the screen, way past the recipe card, but you found it. 😊 Next time, you can just click on the “JUMP TO RECIPE” button located at the very top of the screen; that will automatically scroll you down to the recipe card. Or, click on the “PRINT RECIPE” button that’s also located at the very top of the screen and you won’t have to look at any of my ads; however I do need that ad revenue – it’s what I use to pay all the expenses that come with running this website. 🤷♀️
I grew up on this kind of soup — vegetarian and great northern beans. My grandparents fed their six children, and my mother fed my dad and their four children. We always had it with cornbread, and my grandpa loved it with fresh cream. Such sweet, homey memories. And the story goes on: I made it for our children, and my daughter makes it for her family. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
That’s wonderful! I am very happy you enjoyed it! THANK YOU! 🙂
I am whipping up a large batch of this to throw into the freezer for our upcoming cold front. I love that you use to many fresh veggies in this delicious soup.
I hope you enjoy it!! Thank YOU! 🙂
OMG so good! My husband wanted some meat with it so I boiled a chicken breast and shredded it. I placed the shredded chicken on the bottom of the bowl and spooned the soup over it and then the Parmesan cheese. Great dinner tonight!
That’s great to hear! I’m very happy you loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
What a fabulous idea to make this soup for dinner tonight!
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂 Thank you!
What a hearty dish and so easy to prep too; great for busy weeknights, indeed!
Its such a simple and delicious weeknight meal! Thank YOU!
I could definitely go for a bowl of this right about now! Yum! 🙂
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
The perfect soup! Love that it’s vegetarian!
Thank YOU, Cathy! 🙂
I love all the veggies you added. Can’t wait to make a big batch and one to freeze.
It has been so cold here so I made this soup over the weekend and the family loved it! Served with a little crusty bread…yum!
That’s great! I am very happy you enjoyed it!! Thank YOU! 🙂
This soup is so good and I love that it is full of vegetables! SO hearty.
Thank you SO much, Laura! 🙂
I’ve been looking for a bean soup without ham. Thank you!
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂 Thank you!