Description

A warm, comforting, and creamy white bean soup that is high in protein, easy to make, and perfect for busy weeknights. This recipe uses pantry staples and creates a silky texture without heavy cream.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 200g / 7 oz)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 150g / 5.3 oz)
2 celery stalks, diced (about 100g / 3.5 oz)
2 cans white beans (15 oz each, about 850g drained) – cannellini or Great Northern beans
4 cups vegetable broth (960 ml) – low-sodium recommended
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups fresh spinach or kale (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (25g, optional)

Instructions

Dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic. Chop fresh thyme if using.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies soften and onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic and thyme, cook for another minute until fragrant, avoiding browning the garlic.
Drain and rinse one can of white beans. Add both cans of beans (one rinsed, one un-rinsed) to the pot.
Pour in vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Stir and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to meld flavors and soften veggies.
Using an immersion blender, puree about half the soup in the pot to thicken naturally. Alternatively, mash some beans and veggies with a potato masher.
Remove the bay leaf. Add fresh spinach or kale if using, stir until wilted.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add broth or water if soup is too thick.
Right before serving, stir in lemon juice and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Ladle soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread or a simple side salad. Optionally drizzle with olive oil.

Notes

Rinse one can of beans to reduce saltiness and remove canning liquid flavor. Partial blending of the soup creates a creamy texture without cream. Use low and slow simmer to meld flavors. Add lemon juice at the end to brighten the soup. Fresh herbs preferred but dried thyme works. For vegan version, omit Parmesan and add nutritional yeast. Add cooked sausage or chicken for extra protein.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup (approximate)
Calories: 250
Sodium: 350
Fat: 5
Saturated Fat: 1
Carbohydrates: 35
Fiber: 9
Protein: 15

Keywords: white bean soup, high protein soup, creamy soup, easy dinner, healthy soup, plant-based protein, vegetarian soup, weeknight meal