ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

4.76 from 25 votes

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.

The recipe yields 4 servings (1 cup each).

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian white bean soup

Servings:

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Katia

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cans (14oz/400grams each) cannellini or other white beans
1 (7oz/200 grams) large potato, diced
2 cups (480 ml) low sodium vegetable broth
½ - ⅔ teaspoon salt, or according to taste
a few cracks of black pepper

Parsley dressing

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove
1 handful Italian flat parsley (1 cup lightly packed)

Instructions

Rinse your beans under runny water and drain, you want to remove the cloudy water.
In a large soup pot, gently heat 1 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add the chopped garlic clove, onion, and chili, and cook for about 4 minutes or until the onion softens.
Add the white beans, the diced potato, the vegetable broth, salt, and some black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the diced potato is fork-tender, remove the pot from the heat and check and adjust the seasoning as needed; you might want to add more salt (depending on the broth used). If you prefer a thinner soup consistency, simply add a touch of broth.
Parsley dressing: Blend or finely chop the parsley leaves with the garlic and add it to a bowl. Next, stir in about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to make a flavorsome dressing for the soup.
To serve, ladle soup into each bowl, then place a small amount of parsley dressing in the center and give a stir. Finish with extra red or black pepper flakes, and serve with crusty bread or croutons.

Notes

Leftovers: This Italian 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 for up to 2 months.

Nutritional values: The nutrition values are for one serving and are based on an online nutrition calculator. They are estimates only, and they should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.

Nutrition