🥣 Classic White Bean Soup
Servings: 6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chopped kale or fresh spinach, optional
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan, for serving, optional
Instructions
Sauté the vegetables:
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until softened.
Add garlic:
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
Build the soup:
Add the beans, broth, Italian seasoning, thyme, bay leaf, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Simmer:
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make it creamy:
For a thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon or briefly blend a portion of the soup with an immersion blender.
Add greens:
Stir in kale or spinach during the last 3–5 minutes of cooking.
Finish:
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Serve:
Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
🍋 Optional Flavor Boost
Add 4–6 oz cooked smoked sausage or ham, diced, along with the beans for a hearty, smoky white bean soup.
