Are you looking for a meal that delivers a comforting embrace in every spoonful? Something that is deeply satisfying, full of flavour, and remarkably simple to prepare? Your search ends here. We are delighted to share our recipe for the most wonderfully creamy White Bean Soup, a dish destined to become your favourite choice for a cosy and rapid dinner. It is naturally vegan, exceptionally hearty, and a perfect example of how basic ingredients can be transformed into something truly magnificent.

This soup is a tribute to the humble cannellini bean, elevating it into a velvety, rich, and fragrant meal. Whether you are an experienced cook or just beginning your culinary adventures, this recipe is designed with you in mind. It uses common pantry items, can be ready in less than 30 minutes, and yields a result that tastes as if it has been simmering for hours. Let’s head to the kitchen!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly Creamy Without Any Cream: We achieve a sumptuously smooth texture by blending a portion of the beans, which creates a wholesome and delicious vegan creamy soup without any dairy.
• Ready in Under 30 Minutes: This is one of our most treasured quick dinner recipes. From the first chop to the final garnish, you can have a nourishing meal on the table in a flash.
• Budget-Friendly and Wholesome: As a champion of budget friendly meals, this soup relies on inexpensive tinned beans and vegetables. It’s also brimming with plant-based protein and fibre to keep you feeling satisfied and well-nourished.
• Built on Pantry Staples: It’s highly likely that you already have most of these ingredients. This makes it the ideal recipe for those evenings when you need a fantastic meal without a special trip to the shops.
• Endlessly Versatile: We adore this recipe just as it is, but it also serves as an excellent canvas for your own culinary creativity. Feel free to add extra greens, different herbs, or your favourite toppings.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• yellow onion
• celery stalks
• dried rosemary
• dried thyme
• cannellini beans
• low-sodium vegetable stock
• bay leaf
• Freshly ground black pepper
• fresh lemon juice
• fresh spinach or kale
• fresh parsley

How to Make The Best White Bean Soup

Crafting this delightful soup involves a straightforward, three-step method. We will walk you through sautéing the vegetables to build a flavour base, simmering the soup to deepen its taste, and blending it to velvety perfection.

1. Sauté the Aromatics

   In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over a medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are tender and the onion looks translucent. Now, stir in the minced garlic, dried rosemary, and dried thyme, and continue to cook for one more minute until you can smell their wonderful aroma. This first stage is crucial for creating a deep layer of flavour.

2. Simmer the Flavours

   Next, it’s time to pour in the vegetable stock. Add the rinsed cannellini beans and the bay leaf to the pot. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil, then turn it down to low, pop the lid on, and allow it to simmer for at least 15 minutes. This simmering period lets all the individual flavours merge into a harmonious whole. While a longer simmer will develop the taste even more, 15 minutes is ample time for a superb result.

3. Blend to Perfection and Serve

   Take the pot off the heat and remove the bay leaf. With an immersion blender, blend roughly half of the soup right in the pot until it’s smooth. This technique gives you the perfect consistency: a creamy base with whole beans and vegetables for texture. If you don’t own an immersion blender, you can carefully ladle about half of the soup into a regular blender, blend until smooth, and then pour it back into the pot. Stir everything together, then add the fresh lemon juice and spinach or kale, if using. The residual heat will wilt the greens perfectly. Season generously with salt and pepper to your preference. Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with fresh parsley and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

This White Bean Soup is truly wonderful on its own, but it becomes even better with a few simple accompaniments. We love to serve it with a piece of warm, crusty bread or a slice of sourdough, perfect for dipping. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes will add a lovely, gentle heat, while some homemade croutons can provide a satisfying crunch.

This soup also makes a fantastic foundation for some of our other favourite cannellini bean recipes. Here are a couple of variations you might enjoy:

• Add More Veggies: Don’t hesitate to toss in diced potatoes, courgette, or leeks with the other vegetables to make the soup even heartier.
• Spice It Up: A pinch of smoked paprika can lend a delightful smoky depth, while a dash of cayenne pepper will give it a spicy kick.
• Make It Cheesy (Non-Vegan): For those who aren’t following a vegan diet, a generous grating of Parmesan cheese over the top just before serving is absolutely divine.

While this soup is a fantastic meat-free meal, we know that sometimes you’re planning a week of varied, comforting dinners. If you’re looking for something different for another night, why not try our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Meatloaves With Creamy Sauce? Or for a fun family meal, our Cheeseburger Lasagna Recipe is always a huge hit.

FAQ

Conclusion: Your New Favourite Comfort Meal

So, there we have it—a simple, elegant, and deeply nourishing White Bean Soup that excels in flavour, speed, and nutrition. It is a wonderful example of the magic that occurs when a few high-quality, simple ingredients are combined using a straightforward method. This recipe is proof that you don’t require hours in the kitchen or an extensive list of ingredients to craft a meal that truly comforts the soul. Beans are a brilliant source of plant-based protein and fibre; you can find out more from resources like the NHS guide on beans and pulses.

We are confident that this soup will become a staple in your recipe repertoire. It is ideal for a chilly evening, a fast weeknight meal, or a healthy lunch to prepare for the week ahead. We hope you will give this recipe a go and discover its creamy, flavourful delight for yourself.

Have you tried our White Bean Soup? We would be thrilled to hear about it! Please leave a comment below to share how it went, or let us know if you put your own unique spin on it.

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 (400g) tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 litre low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 large handful of fresh spinach or kale
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Stir in the minced garlic, dried rosemary, and dried thyme, and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the rinsed cannellini beans and the bay leaf. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup until smooth, leaving the rest for texture. (Alternatively, carefully transfer half the soup to a blender and return it to the pot).
5. Stir in the lemon juice and fresh spinach or kale until the greens have wilted. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 245kcal,
Carbs: 35g,
Protein: 11g,
Fat: 7g

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