Description
A creamy and nourishing white bean soup packed with cannellini beans, vegetables, and leafy greens. This easy one-pot recipe is perfect for a comforting meal, naturally dairy and gluten free, and ready in 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium sweet onion (finely chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 large carrots (peeled and sliced into coins)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 3 cups chopped kale or baby spinach
Beans and Broth
- 4 15-ounce cans cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Optional
- Shredded parmesan (dairy or plant-based, such as Violife, for serving)
Instructions
- Heat aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook while stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add beans and seasonings: Add the drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, black pepper, and salt to the pot. Stir everything well to combine.
- Simmer soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Blend for creaminess: Transfer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend a few times in the pot for a creamy texture.
- Adjust consistency: Stir well and add more broth if the soup is too thick until you reach your desired consistency.
- Add greens: Stir in the chopped kale or baby spinach and simmer a few minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
- Finish and season: Stir in the lemon juice and taste the soup. Adjust salt, pepper, or red chili flakes as desired.
- Serve: Serve the soup warm, optionally with crusty bread and a sprinkle of shredded parmesan in each bowl. Enjoy!
Notes
- This soup is naturally dairy and gluten free, but you can add parmesan or a plant-based alternative for garnish.
- Using an immersion blender keeps the process simple and reduces cleanup.
- If kale is used, allow extra simmering time to soften the tougher leaves.
- Adjust the thickness by adding more or less vegetable broth according to your preference.
- Make sure to rinse canned beans to reduce sodium content if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 325 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 682 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 13 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
