If you ever thought that beans are boring, this thick flavor-packed white bean soup will blow your mind!
This is a simple, vegan, and budget-friendly recipe that tastes and smells amazing.
Plus, it’s ready in 20 minutes and it only costs about $1 per serving!
All it takes is humble canned white beans, a few vegetables, and two of my favorite secret-weapon ingredients: rosemary and a dash of white wine.
And when you add these aromatic ingredients to the pot, something magical happens and takes this simple soup to the next level!
Make it right and this white bean soup gets it all: flavor, texture, color, and amazing nutritional benefits.
It’s thick, comforting, and perfect for dunking crusty whole-grain bread in.
Once you try it, you’ll want more!
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS SOUP?
- White beans (such as cannellini or navy beans)
- Onion, carrot, celery
- Garlic
- Potato
- Spinach (optional)
- Tomato paste
- White wine
- Rosemary
- Olive oil
- Paprika (optional)
- Salt & pepper
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:
- Saute’ onion, carrot, celery in olive oil for 5 minutes
- Add beans, garlic, tomato paste, potatoes, rosemary and a pinch of salt and pepper
- Stir in the wine, toss well and simmer until it has evaporated
- Add vegetable broth, frozen spinach and cook until the potatoes are soft
- Taste and adjust the seasoning
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, and crusty bread. Enjoy!
HEALTHY, EASY AND BUDGET FRIENDLY:
This easy and budget-friendly white bean soup delivers a healthy and delicious midweek family meal in 20 minutes.
It’s vegan, gluten-free and packed with protein. Always keep a few cans of these handy and inexpensive pulses in your pantry, they are perfect for a last-minute meal.
ARE WHITE BEANS GOOD FOR YOU?
If you’re wondering if white beans are healthy and good for you, the answer is yes!
Cannellini beans are low on calories but loaded with minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Plus, these white beans are a terrific source of vegetarian protein and they’re highly filling, making them a very weight loss-friendly food.
Plus, if you enjoy this cannellini soup with some whole grain bread, you’ll get plenty of fiber!
RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
WHITE BEANS
I love cannellini beans, but you can use white beans such as navy beans or Great Northern beans, they work just fine.
FLAVOR
Start cooking slowly a mix of diced carrots, celery, onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil. In Italy, this is called “soffritto” and creates a flavorsome base for basically any savory dish.
Then add white beans, potatoes, rosemary and a dash of white wine to this aromatic base. When you add white wine to the pot, you add a that of acidity which brings out the other flavors. And it smells so good!
Serve with freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, the best options when it comes to flavor and health benefits.
If you don’t keep it vegan, enjoy it with freshly grated parmesan cheese which adds extra flavor and creaminess!
WHITE WINE
Cooking with white wine adds richness and a new dimension of flavor.
Any leftover of drinkable white wine is suitable for cooking, don’t waste it. And you know what? You can also freeze it in small portions, perfect for home cooking.
TEXTURE
Both starchy potatoes and soft cannellini beans make this soup thick, creamy and yummy. Plus, if you slightly mash the soft potato cubes and beans with a wooden spoon, that makes this white bean soup even thicker.
LEFTOVERS
This easy vegan white bean soup keeps well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3-4 days.
It’s also freezable: divide among airtight containers (leaving 1-inch space at the top), and freeze up to 2 months.
LOOKING FOR MORE CANNELLINI BEAN RECIPES?
Have a look at these delicious:
- Italian white bean soup, loaded with big bold flavors
- Smoky beans on toast, the perfect vegan crunchy bruschetta
- Cannellini bean salad, so tasty with a homemade lemon garlic dressing
- Cannellini bean recipes you will love, from creamy soups to salads!
If you try this delicious soup, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram.
I would love to hear from you!
THE BEST WHITE BEAN SOUP
Ingredients
- 2 cans (28oz - 800 grams) cannellini beans or white beans, drained
- 1 medium-size onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, diced or pressed
- 1 cup (7 oz - 200 grams), frozen spinach * (optional)
- 2 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) white wine
- 1 sprig rosemary (or 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh leaves/1/2 tsp of dried)
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth or hot water
- 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, beans, tomato paste, potatoes, rosemary (whole sprig, chopped, or dried, whatever it's easier for you) and paprika (if you use it). Cook stirring frequently, about 1 minute.
- Add the wine, stir well and let it simmer until it has evaporated, cooking for another minute.
- Then add the frozen spinach, the vegetable broth and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat and cook gently for 15 minutes.
- When the potatoes are soft and the soup is thick and creamy, remove the pot from heat, then remove the sprig rosemary*. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (I usually add a pinch of salt at the beginning + 1/2 tsp later. You might need more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and on your personal preferences.)*
- Divide into bowls, drizzle with olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, and more freshly ground black pepper if you like. Serve with crusty whole grain bread and, if you don't keep it vegan, add freshly grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- I usually make my own vegetable broth cooking for about 5-10 minutes vegetable scraps and herbs. However, when I'm short on time I go for hot water and vegan low salt vegetable broth cubes.
- Seasoning: If you use a broth that tastes quite salty on its own, it's important to adjust the seasoning at the end and not at the beginning as you never really know how strong the salt from the broth is.
I would start only with a good pinch of salt, no more than that. - Leftover: it keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. t’s also freezable: divide among airtight containers (leaving 1-inch space at the top), and freeze up to 2 months.
- Rosemary: I've got a massive bush of rosemary in my garden, and I always use a fresh sprig. If you use a fresh rosemary sprig, keep in mind it will lose its leaves into the soup. They don't bother me, but you might want to take them off before serving, or to chop them before cooking : )
- Vegetables: I usually go for frozen spinach, it really comes in handy.
If you prefer, you could swap the spinach for greens such as chopped kale or chard. However, if you use fresh spinach, add them to the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Chard or kale might take a bit longer, between 5 and 10 minutes. - Frozen spinach: the weight is from frozen, but you can swap frozen spinach for a 10-oz bag of fresh spinach if you prefer.
Nutrition
54 comments
When do you add the potatoes?
Along with the beans! Thanks for your comment x
Absolutely delicious. I ‘ve made it three times now and we all love it. So simple to make with very few ingredients. Thank you.
I love your comment, especially if you’ve already made the recipe three times 🙂 Thank you, Janet! x
Is it 2 28 ounce cans of beans? Or 28 ounce total?
Hi Mary, 28 oz is the total. Cheers!
How many calories per serving
Hi Shahishta, I’ve counted the calories for you. Assuming that you cook it with plain water instead of broth or stock, the calories per serving are approx 323. Cheers x
We all loved this soup, including my hubby who doesn’t love beans. Thanks for the recipe, will make this again for sure!
Thanks for your lovely feedback, Melody! I’m so glad that even the non-bean lover husband enjoyed it 🙂
I’m making this in a crock pot, any pointers ?
I’ve never made this soup in a crockpot, I can’t help, sorry! x
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have white wine or celery on hand today as I haven’t been shopping in a while. Even without those, this soup was amazing. The parmesan, cracked black pepper and olive oil on top really take it over the edge! So delicious! The whole family approved!
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback, Tamar! I’m so pleased the whole family loved it 🙂
Katia, made this soup for dinner tonight… it was one of the best white bean soup recipes I’ve tried over the years. My husband had 2 helpings and said it was definitely a keeper recipe! Thank you for sharing…
Your comment made my day, Anne! Thanks a lot for your lovely feedback 🙂
If I use dried beans would that change the cooking time?
Yes, definitely. However, I usually soak dried beans overnight to reduce the cooking time. Pre-socked beans take at least 1 hour of cooking time, but make sure they’re nice and tender x
Great recipe! Only things I changed was using fresh spinach and smoked paprika because it’s what I had on hand. Absolutely delicious on a cold and rainy night!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Melissa… and Happy New Year! x
My German grandma made bean soup for us. She put a piece of pork in it and served with a dash of vinegar. Yummy
Wow, this soup cooked by a German grandma sounds utterly delicious! Thanks for sharing, Melissa x
I love the recipe. But I have one question our family doesn’t use wine to cook and I don’t drink can I substitute it with broth or lemon juice.
You can skip the wine, Doreen, as long as you add soffritto, rosemary and good broth (not lemon juice). It will taste delicious x
Do you recommend a particular type of potato?
The best starchy potatoes for mashing are perfect (Russets, Yukon or Mary piper if you are based in the UK).
However, any type of potato will work for a stress-free soup, and if the potato chunks still hold their shape we just smash them with the back of a spoon 🙂
I use juice of 1/2 lemon in bean soup. It provides the acidity if you don’t want to use wine.
Thank you for the tip, Randye! 🙂
Delicious!! Thank you for the recipe, will definitely be making again!!
Sautéed following directions then 6 minutes in the instant pot!
Thanks a million for your rating, Juliana! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
My husband and I really enjoyed this soup!
My husband and I really enjoyed this soup!
I’m really pleased you both enjoyed the recipe and thank you for sharing your feedback, Angela! x
Made it for my husband and me for a quick Sunday dinner. Didn’t have rosemary on hand so I substituted dried Italian seasoning and added a handful of elbow pasta. Absolutely delicious. It’s a keeper.
I’m over the moon when I get comments like yours, Julie. Thanks so much for your rating! x
I’ve made this soup about three times. It’s a big hit with my husband and the perfect meal for sheltering inside.
I’m so pleased you like it! Thank you, Julie x
I would love a recommendation for a good white wine to use, not only type but brand. I’d really like to make this but have no clue as to what wine to buy.
Wine gives a lovely touch, but it’s not the main ingredient. However, white wine such as Pinot, Sauvignon blanc or Chardonnay works great.
I wouldn’t worry about the brand too much 😉
That recipe sounds delicious. I will use dry beans however, will a pound of dry bean be the equivalent to the amount of beans for this recipe?
By the way, I love your name, Katia 😉
Regards,
Hi Katia (yes, awesome name! 🙂 I think a pound of dry beans is a lot, but a heaping cup of dry beans should be fine xx
With the addition of kolbassa for the benefit of my husband, it made well over six servings. I really liked it!
Wow, that sounds delicious! Thanks so much for your comment, Susan x
Absolutely delicious! Made our second batch in a week, this time to share with older parents quarantining. I’m out of potatoes so added a small amount of egg noodles. I prefer the potatoes but this works when it’s hard to get to the grocery store. Love this recipe!
The idea of you sharing this soup with older parents in quarantine means a lot to me! Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Kylie xx
Just made this soup for dinner tonight. Little bit of prep work involved but overall quick and easy with delicious results. Very easy and very good as written. Will make this a regular in my soup rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Same here, that’s what I’m cooking tonight, I’ve just got canned beans from my cupboard! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I’m very pleased! xx
Absolutely delicious! Made some substitutions to use what I had (only had 1 can of Cannellini beans so also used a can of garbanzos and sweet potatoes instead of white and I also added 2 cups of leftover ham I diced). So very good – will definitely make again – thanks for a great recipe!
I love those substitutions, they add extra flavors and textures! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Lynann 🙂
My husband and I really enjoy your Best bean soup. It is so delicious and I did not change anything with the recipe. It is a real keeper. Thank you.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it 🙂 thanks a lot for your comment, Barb!
Making this soup today as – surprise, surprise – I have all the ingredients!
The Soup sounds delicious, but more interesting to me, what is the idea that I can freeze small amounts of white wine! I am a red wine girl, so don’t like to open a big bottle of white wine, but I do like to cook with it sometimes. Thanks for the idea I’m going to try it!
Awesome, we hate wasting food, and wine too 🙂 Enjoy the soup, Barb! x