Italian White Bean Soup

This no-frills Italian white bean soup is so simple yet boldly flavored, robust, and so darn good! It’s thick, garlicky, spicy, and nourishing. Serve with crusty bread for an easy, healthy, and satisfying meal.

Published on Nov 2018 /Updated on September 2024

Let’s start this week with one of my favorite bean soup recipes, which I first published in 2018. It’s a simple, filling, vegan bean soup that I grew up with, and I’m obsessed with its simplicity and fantastic flavor.

It’s ridiculously easy to make using a few budget-friendly pantry staples. I cook it the way my mum used to, loaded with chili, parsley, and garlic and drizzled with plenty of extra virgin olive oil. That’s an amazing combination, perfect to take your fluffy white beans to the next level!

I’ve been cooking this Italian white bean soup for ages, and I can tell it’s sure to please everyone, both vegetarians and carnivores. It proves once again that less is more.

I promise it’s so downright delicious that once you taste it, you want to dunk crispy bread in it!

Ready? Make a big batch and serve it with crusty bread, crostini, or focaccia for a filling, healthy, and satisfying meal that is also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.

List of the ingredients

• White beans
• Potato
• Garlic
• Onion
• Vegetable broth
• Italian parsley
• Chili flakes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt + pepper

How to make an Italian bean soup

(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)

• Saute garlic, onion, and chili flakes in olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the white beans, diced potato, broth, salt and pepper.
• Simmer for about 20 minutes.

• Finely chop parsley leaves and garlic, then add the olive oil to combine.
• Turn the heat off, add the parsley dressing to the soup, and stir.

• Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you like, serve it with more chili flakes and enjoy it with plenty of crusty bread and grated parmesan cheese if you don’t keep it vegan.

RECIPE NOTES

Italian white bean soup ingredients

White beans: Cannellini beans are usually my go-to white beans when it comes to soups, but navy beans, Great Northern beans, or lima beans work, too. For convenience, I used canned beans; they are perfectly fine, and the preparation is minimal. However, dried white beans are an excellent and cheaper option if you have time to pre-soak them.

Garlic + onion: This combination makes a simple yet flavorful base. You can use red, white, or yellow onion. To add more texture and flavor, stir in a chopped carrot and a celery stick. The recipe is flexible, but I love keeping it simple.

Extra virgin olive oil: This is the best option for flavor and nutrition. Italians use extra virgin olive oil for almost every dish. We are obsessed with it!

Chili flakes (aka crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes): They add flavor and a touch of heat, making your white beans way more interesting. Feel free to add more chili flakes to your liking.

Potatoes: They add body to the soup. During cooking, the potato cells break down, releasing starch and making the soup thicker.

Vegetable broth: I use low-sodium vegetable broth to keep the soup light and vegan, but you can use your favorite veggie or chicken broth. Adjust the seasoning accordingly since some broth can be pretty salty.

Italian parsley: For this Italian bean soup, you want to use only fresh parsley, not dried herbs. I recommend using the Italian variety with large, flat leaves. My mum used to be very generous with the parsley dressing, so you can make more to add to your soup, if you like.

Salt & pepper: To make the flavors pop. Taste and adjust the seasoning as always.

White bean soup variations

This simple Italian white bean soup recipe is extremely versatile. I love it as it is, but you can add more veggies, such as chopped carrots or greens, such as kale or baby spinach (fresh or frozen). Add some lemon juice at the end for a bit of zing, or add your favorite fresh herbs, like bay leaf, rosemary, basil, or fresh thyme.

Storage tips & leftovers

This Italian white bean soup leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days, making it a great meal prep option for the entire week. It freezes very well, too.
To freeze it, let the soup cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or multiple containers. Freeze for up to 2 months.

More bean soup recipes you’ll love!

• The best white bean soup
• White bean stew
• Butter bean soup
• White bean and kale soup
• Lima bean soup
• Pinto bean soup
• White bean & tomato soup
• Creamy bean soup
• Chickpea bean soup

And for all the soup and bean lovers out there, don’t forget to check out my vegan soup recipes here and my best bean recipes here. : )

Let me know if you make this Italian bean soup or if you have any questions! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it. I would love to hear from you!

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