White Bean Soup Recipe
A comforting Italian soup made with cannellini beans, vegetables, garlic, herbs, and optional bacon. It’s a perfect light meal or side dish.
Beans are inexpensive, easy to prepare, and healthy. This simple and delicious white bean soup recipe is an easy recipe to make. It’s affordable, nutritious, and absolutely comforting.
What Are Those White Beans Called?
There are many white beans. But in reference to this recipe, they are called cannellini beans. They are the largest white bean and have a nutty sort of flavor.
Are Cannellini Beans Just White Kidney Beans?
Yes and no. They are not the same bean, just with less color. But because of their shape, they are often called white kidney beans. The flavors of the two beans are different.
What’s The Difference Between Kidney Beans and Cannellini Beans?
Cannellini beans have a nuttier flavor than kidney beans. Both are well suited for chili or salad, but kidney beans have a slightly sweet taste that cannellini beans do not.
Can You Add Meat To White Bean Soup?
You can! Good choices are pre-cooked bacon or shredded chicken, particularly in this recipe.
What To Serve With White Bean Soup?
A green salad is a great addition to this, and you’ll definitely get a few servings of vegetables and fiber! Aside from that, crusty garlic bread is a great option.
If you want to serve this soup as a side dish or first course, a good main course would be any type of meat, potatoes, or other veggies. If you really want to get a feel for what might go with this, imagine what you think goes well with chicken noodle soup. Those same things will go well with this recipe. And yes, you can add pasta to this soup too.
How To Thicken White Bean Soup
This is meant to be a brothy soup. It’s not intended to be creamy or thick. However, you can blend a few of the beans with a bit of water and starch (arrowroot or cornstarch) and then whisk it into the soup at the end of cooking. This will give it some thickness. You can also add a bit of heavy cream if you want it creamy.
Can This Be Made Vegan?
Yes! Simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and don’t add any meat. The recipe is already dairy-free.
Can This Be Made Gluten-Free?
The good news is there are no gluten-based ingredients in this soup. So the only thing you have to do is make sure that your individual ingredients are labeled as gluten-free when you buy them.
Can This Be Made Low Sodium?
Technically, yes. You will want to use home-cooked beans cooked without any salt. You’ll also want a low or no-sodium broth.
Can I Use A Different Bean?
Yes, you can. Try great northern beans, navy beans, or pretty much any white bean other than chickpeas.
Recipe Cost
Prices are estimates and can change from region to region or even from store to store. These are estimates only.
- Canned cannellini beans: $3
- Onion: $0.25
- Garlic cloves: $0.60
- Carrots: $0.25
- Celery: $1
- Canned diced tomatoes: $1
- Chicken broth: $2
- Dried oregano: Negligible cost
- Dried basil: Negligible cost
- Bay leaves: Negligible cost
- Salt: Negligible cost
- Ground black pepper: Negligible cost
Estimated total cost: $8.10
Cost per serving: $8.10 / 7 = $1.16 (rounded to the nearest cent)
Optional Additions
- Spinach
- Kale
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Red pepper flakes – for a little kick.
- Parmesan cheese (as garnish)
- A good quality Italian sausage
- Heavy cream – if you want this creamy
About The Ingredients
Cannellini beans – Rinsed and drained if canned. You can use 2½ cups of homecooked beans if you prefer to avoid the sodium.
Oil – Any type of oil you prefer will work fine here. Just watch that you don’t use an oil with a super low smoke point.
Red onion – You can also use yellow onion if you prefer that.
Garlic – You will get a lot more flavor from it if you press it with a garlic press. But if you don’t have one, minced is the next best thing. Also, the number of cloves mentioned is a suggestion. Measure that garlic with your heart, honey.
Baby carrots – You can use big carrots too; I just prefer the uniform size of baby carrots in a soup like this. If you use big carrots, chop them small. You don’t want huge pieces in this.
Celery – Slice this thin for the best finished texture.
Canned diced tomatoes – Make sure there is no sugar added.
Vegetable or chicken broth – I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth works great too.
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Bay leaves – Choose medium to large leaves or double up with smaller leaves.
Salt – I used pink Himalayan salt, but you can use whatever salt you normally cook with.
Ground black pepper
Garnish
Fresh basil or parsley – Chopped
Extra virgin olive oil – Drizzle a tiny bit over the top at serving. (optional)
How To Make White Bean Soup
Prep the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots.
Warm the oil in a medium to large pot.
Sauté the onions until they become translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more before proceeding.
Add the celery and carrots.
Once the veggies have softened a bit, add the diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Then add the bay leaves, but don’t stir until after the next step. (You don’t want to break the leaves apart. You need them whole so you can remove them after cooking.)
Add the broth to the pot. Cook at a gentle boil until the veggies are soft.
Add in the cooked beans and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until the veggies are fully cooked and soft.
Remove the bay leaves and discard.
Chop your fresh parsley for garnish.
Garnish and serve.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days (if you used chicken broth or added bacon or other meat) or 5 days (if you used veggie broth and added no meat).
Freezing
This soup can be frozen in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Reheating
If frozen, you can thaw it in a microwave, on the stovetop, or in the fridge for 24 hours.
From the fridge, you can heat this either in the microwave or in a pot on your stove.
Recipe Supplies
More Comforting Soup Recipes
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White Bean Soup Recipe Card
White Bean Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Soup Pot
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 chef knife
- 1 ladle
- soup bowls
Ingredients
- 30 oz. canned cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1½ cups finely chopped onion
- 6 large garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
- 1½ cups diced carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 large bay leaf (remove and discard after cooking)
- ½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots.
- Warm the oil in a medium to large pot.
- Sauté the onions until they become translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the celery and carrots.
- Once the veggies have softened a bit, add the diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Then add the bay leaves, but don't stir until after the next step. (You don't want to break the leaves apart. You need them whole so you can remove them after cooking.)
- Add the broth to the pot. Cook at a gentle boil until the veggies are soft.
- Add in the cooked beans and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until the veggies are fully cooked and soft.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard.
- Chop your fresh parsley for garnish.
- Garnish and serve.
