Hearty and plant-based, this White Bean Soup is pure comfort and flavor, perfect for a chilly night!
Recently, a family friend had surgery and needed a little help during her recovery. I have a go-to dish of cheesy stuffed pasta shells that I often make for friends and family after a surgery or new baby. However, this time I needed something vegan and totally plant-based. Scanning my favorite recipes, I was stumped for a bit, as dairy seemed to be a big part of a lot of favorite recipes! However, white bean soup came to the rescue. Our friend loved this soup, and I have made it several times since then, and we love it too!
White bean soup stars cannellini beans, which are protein powerhouses, plus a host of delicious veggies. Not only is it a plant-based soup, without meat or dairy, but it’s also gluten-free. Plus, it’s economical, to boot! Budget-friendly, healthy, AND delicious is a triple win. White bean soup can be a hearty, nourishing main with a side of crusty bread, or it can be a first course as part of a larger feast.
You will love white bean soup because it’s easy to make, freezes well for later enjoyment, and tastes amazing. It’s a one-pot soup, which is easy on clean-up and means it’s simple enough for a busy weeknight. You can make a batch on the weekend and put it away for later in the week or month when you need something quick, either for yourself or to help out a friend or family member. And finally, the taste: the cannellini beans are tender and creamy, and pair beautifully with the other veggies in a seasoned, nourishing broth. Comfort food is always a good choice and can be nutritious as well.
Why Rinse Canned Beans?
In the ingredients list, you will see that white bean soup calls for three cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. While there’s no question about the convenience of canned beans vs. dried ones, why the rinsing and draining? Why can’t you just dump them into your pot as is? Well, first of all, you can just drain the cans and dump the beans into your pot if you want to. But there’s a reason behind the rinsing when it comes to canned beans. It mainly has to do with seasoning. Canned beans are packed in a liquid solution made up of water, sodium, and starch. Rinsing and draining means that you reduce the sodium by around 40%, and you can season the beans (or in this case, the soup) as you like. It also has to do with texture—this canning liquid can create a bit of a slimy feel on the beans themselves. Rinsing removes that viscous liquid, leaving you with just the beans.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Let the soup cool to room temperature. Once cooled, you can store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. To serve, let it thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, and reheat gently on the stovetop until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
If serving white bean soup as a main, it is delicious with a crusty loaf of Sourdough Bread or this Boule Bread. Add a Caesar Salad or House Salad for some crunch and variety. You can also serve white bean soup as the starter to a larger meal. It works well as a first course before hearty dishes such as Vegetarian Baked Ziti or Spinach Ravioli Lasagna.
White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1 large celery stalk chopped
- 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 1/2 cups chopped spinach
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread slices for serving
- Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish (omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add carrots, mushrooms, and celery to the pot, and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth, cannellini beans, rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in chopped spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread. For non-vegan diets, this soup is delicious topped with Parmesan.
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