Creamy & Delicious Easy White Bean Soup: Your Ultimate Comfort Food Recipe
Step into a world of warmth and comfort with this incredible Easy White Bean Soup. Crafted with minimal effort, this recipe promises a deliciously warming experience that you’ll want to savor all winter long. Not only is it incredibly satisfying, but it’s also a fantastic option for soup recipes that are perfect for making ahead and portioning into convenient, lunch-sized meals. Imagine coming home to a bowl of this hearty goodness after a long day – pure bliss!
Why This Easy White Bean Soup Will Become Your Go-To
Just like my passion for smoothies, I have an undeniable affection for their savory counterpart: soup! There’s something inherently simple and comforting about throwing a few ingredients into a pot, letting them simmer, and watching magic happen. This Easy White Bean Soup truly embodies that simplicity. It’s designed for those who appreciate maximum flavor with minimum fuss, ensuring you can’t really “mess up” this culinary creation.
The secret ingredient that elevates this soup from good to extraordinary is roasted garlic. If you’ve never experienced the mellow, sweet, and unbelievably rich flavor of roasted garlic, prepare to be amazed. It’s, quite simply, one of the best flavors known to mankind. Paired with the inherently creamy texture of white beans and a generous handful of fresh spinach (for that healthy boost!), this soup is a symphony of tastes and textures. It’s perfectly hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but truly shines when served alongside some crusty bread, perhaps even these delightful homemade Olive Garden breadsticks!
A Satisfying Option for Various Diets
For those navigating specific dietary paths, like the grain, dairy, sweets, and meat-free regimen my husband and I are currently on, cravings can hit hard. But let me tell you, this soup is a game-changer. It expertly quashes those intense cravings with its deeply satisfying creamy texture and hearty nature. It’s naturally vegetarian, and with a simple swap of dairy milk for a plant-based alternative, it easily becomes a fantastic vegan and dairy-free option. Its soul-warming qualities make it ideal for sharing with family and friends, especially as a comforting dish during the holiday season or any chilly evening.
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Gather Your Ingredients for This Comforting Soup
To whip up this delightful white bean soup, you’ll need a handful of fresh, simple ingredients that come together to create a complex and inviting flavor profile:
Ingredients:
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 2 large celery stalks, chopped
- 2 15-oz cans (about 3 cups) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk (or dairy-free alternative like unsweetened almond milk or oat milk)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Essential Kitchen Tools for Easy Preparation
While this recipe is straightforward, having the right tools can make the process even smoother. These are some items you might find useful:
Kitchen tools you may find useful:
- Immersion blender (highly recommended for creamy soups!)
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Slotted spoon
- Aluminum foil
Crafting Your Easy White Bean Soup: A Step-by-Step Guide
Let’s dive into the simple process of making this delightful soup. Each step is designed for ease and to build layers of incredible flavor.
- Roast the Garlic: Begin by preparing your garlic. Chop off the very top of the garlic bulb, just enough to expose the tips of the cloves, keeping the paper intact. Place the bulb on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ensuring the oil seeps into the exposed cloves. Wrap the garlic bulb tightly in the foil and roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 30 minutes, or until the cloves are incredibly soft and lightly golden brown. This step is crucial for that signature sweet, mellow flavor. As it roasts, your home will fill with an aroma reminiscent of an Italian grandmother’s kitchen!
- Sauté the Aromatics: In a large, sturdy pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped white onion and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the celery turns a vibrant green and the onion softens and becomes translucent. This creates the aromatic base for your soup.
- Simmer the Base: Add the drained white beans, vegetable broth, milk (or your chosen dairy-free alternative), ground black pepper, and about 1 tablespoon of your freshly roasted garlic cloves (simply squeeze them out of their skins). Stir everything together, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Blend for Creaminess (and Texture!): Here’s where the magic happens! Before blending, use a slotted spoon to remove and set aside approximately 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and beans. This ensures you’ll have delightful “chewy bits” in your final soup, adding wonderful texture. Now, using an immersion blender directly in the pot, or carefully transferring batches to a regular blender, blend the remaining soup until it reaches your desired creamy consistency. Be cautious if using a regular blender with hot liquids – always vent the lid and blend in small batches. Once blended, return the reserved 2 cups of veggies and beans to the pot.
- Add the Freshness: Finally, stir in the fresh spinach. Allow it to cook for just a few minutes until it wilts down into the hot soup. And just like that, you have a delicious, healthy, and incredibly easy white bean soup ready to serve!
Tips for the Best Easy White Bean Soup
- Don’t Skip Roasting Garlic: This step is non-negotiable for the depth of flavor it provides. The roasting process caramelizes the garlic, turning it sweet and mild, a stark contrast to raw garlic.
- Adjust Consistency: If you prefer a thinner soup, feel free to add a little more vegetable broth or milk until it reaches your desired consistency. For a thicker soup, you can simmer it a bit longer after blending, or mash more of the beans before blending.
- Season to Taste: Always taste your soup before serving and adjust salt and pepper as needed. A pinch of fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme can also elevate the flavor profile.
- Immersion Blender Advantage: An immersion blender makes this recipe incredibly easy, allowing you to blend directly in the pot without messy transfers. If you don’t have one, a regular blender works just as well, but be careful with hot liquids.
- Bean Variety: While cannellini beans are common white beans and work wonderfully, you can also use great northern beans or navy beans for a similar creamy result.
Delicious Variations & Serving Suggestions
This easy white bean soup is a fantastic base for customization. Feel free to experiment with these ideas:
- Herb Power: Add fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or a bay leaf during the simmering stage for an extra layer of aroma.
- Veggie Boost: Stir in other quick-cooking vegetables like diced carrots, leeks, or even some finely chopped kale alongside the spinach.
- Protein Punch: For non-vegetarian options, you can brown some Italian sausage (sweet or spicy) or shredded chicken and add it to the soup.
- A Touch of Heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes can add a subtle warmth and kick.
- Creamy Toppings: Top individual servings with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil, grated Parmesan cheese (if not dairy-free), or even a dollop of pesto.
Serve this hearty soup with warm, crusty bread to soak up every last drop, or pair it with a simple side salad for a complete and satisfying meal. It’s also fantastic with a grilled cheese sandwich!
Storage and Reheating
This soup is a dream for meal prep! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It reheats beautifully on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave. If the soup has thickened significantly during storage, you might want to add a splash of vegetable broth or water to achieve your desired consistency when reheating.
For longer storage, this white bean soup freezes well. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Explore More Warming Soup Recipes
If you’re a fan of comforting and flavorful soups, you’re in the right place! Beyond this easy white bean soup, there are many other delightful recipes to explore. You might enjoy this Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup, which offers a similar hearty feel to a classic Italian Wedding Soup, enhanced by the aromatic touch of fennel. For another taste of Italy, you’ll definitely want to try this incredible copycat recipe for Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana. With savory Italian sausage, fresh kale, tender potatoes, and crispy bacon swimming in a delicious milky chicken broth, it’s truly divine! Don’t forget to browse all the different soup recipes available on this blog, and hit the print button or pin your favorites to save them for later!
Easy White Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 white onion chopped
- 2 large celery stalks chopped
- 2 15- oz cans about 3 cups white beans, drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk or dairy-free alternative
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
Instructions
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Chop the top portion off the garlic bulb to expose a bit of the cloves, leaving the paper in tact. Set bulb on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil onto it, letting the oil sink into the cloves. Wrap the bulb up in foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until cloves are soft and lightly browned.
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In a large pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat then add onion and celery. Cook until celery is bright green and onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
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Add beans, broth, milk, pepper, and 1 Tbsp of the roasted garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
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Use a slotted spoon to remove and reserve 2 cups of the veggies. Working in batches, or with an immersion blender, blend the remaining soup until creamy. Add the 2 cups of veggies back into the soup.
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Add spinach and cook a few minutes until wilted. Serve warm, optionally topped with parmesan and rosemary.
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
