This white bean soup recipe is a cozy, healthy, and delicious one-pot meal! It's filled with creamy white beans, tender vegetables, and flavorful herbs.
This white bean soup recipe is the perfect cozy meal for a cold day. A savory, garlicky broth surrounds tender vegetables, kale, and creamy, protein-packed white beans. Fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice round out its bright, earthy flavor.
This white bean soup comes together in about 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect easy dinner for a busy weeknight. It’s also great for meal prep. In the winter, I love to make a big pot on the weekend and eat it for lunch all week. It tastes even better on days 2 and 3, after the flavors have had a chance to develop in the fridge.
Serve it with crusty bread on the side and with Parmesan cheese on top for a punch of salty, nutty flavor. Or skip the cheese to keep it vegan. It’s delicious either way!
White Bean Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this white bean and kale soup:
- White beans, of course! Canned cannellini beans (aka white kidney beans) are my go-tos in this recipe. Smaller white beans like Great Northern beans or navy beans are lovely here too.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For richness.
- Onion, garlic, carrots, and celery – These vegetables create the soup’s flavorful base.
- Tomato paste – It gives the broth savory depth of flavor.
- Rosemary and thyme – Fresh or dried! I’ve included measurements for both in the recipe card below.
- Red pepper flakes – For subtle heat.
- Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make homemade vegetable stock.
- Fresh kale – It makes the soup feel vibrant and fresh. I love Tuscan kale, or lacinato kale, in this soup, but curly kale works too. Fresh spinach and Swiss chard are also delicious!
- Fresh lemon juice – For bright, tangy flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Can I use dried beans?
Yes! Canned beans make this recipe incredibly quick and easy, but dried beans are delicious here too.
I recommend cooking them on their own first, then adding them to the soup like you would canned beans. Here’s how to do it:
- First, soak the beans in water for 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain and prepare them according to this cannellini beans recipe, omitting the chard. You can do this step well in advance of cooking the soup. The cooked beans keep in the fridge for a week and freeze well for up to 3 months.
Use 3 cups of the cooked beans in the soup! Tip: You can also replace some or all of the vegetable broth with their flavorful cooking liquid.
How to Make White Bean Soup
This easy bean soup recipe has three key steps:
- Sauté
- Simmer
- Season
Start by sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until they’re tender, 6 to 8 minutes, then add the garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and herbs.
Next, simmer the soup. Add the beans and broth and cook for 20 minutes to develop the flavors. Stir in the kale and cook until the leaves are wilted but still bright green.
Finally, season the soup with the lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste.
That’s it! Enjoy hot with Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until they soften. Don’t skimp on the cook time in this step! The veggies won’t just have a better texture in the soup—they’ll be sweeter and more flavorful too.
- Add extra garnishes. Top your bowl with chopped fresh parsley, a swirl of olive oil, and/or homemade croutons instead of or in addition to the cheese.
- Make it your own. Like many of my brothy soup recipes, this one is flexible! Make it your own by swapping in whatever veggies you have on hand. Replace the celery with fennel, use parsnips instead of carrots, or toss in a chopped potato or two. You could even add a couple bay leaves to the pot while you simmer the soup.
How to Store and Reheat White Bean Soup
- In the fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- In the freezer: This soup freezes well! Allow it to cool completely, then seal it in airtight containers or jars, leaving an inch of space at the top for the soup to expand. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Warm the soup in the microwave or over medium-low heat on the stovetop.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
If you love this bean soup, try one of these healthy soup recipes next:
- Best Lentil Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Gnocchi Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chopped kale leaves or fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Add the broth and beans and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the kale and cook until wilted, then add the lemon juice and season to taste.
- Serve topped with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Fast and easy soups. Great fir these cold winter days.
This soup was a winner … my son who doesn’t usually eat kale beans really enjoyed it! Thank you!
This is a keeper!
Absolutely bomb soup! We loved the tang of the green chiles and lime. Topping with cheese and avocado is a must!
This was some absolutely bomb soup. We loved the tang of the green chiles and lime. Topping with cheese an avocado is a must!
Thank you for this perfect cold weather comfort food! I have already enjoyed this recipe a couple times this winter. Today my celery was beyond even soup use so I subbed in fennel which was fantastic.
Not a vegetation but love the recipes. I sub chicken stock occasionally and add a protein sometimes.
This bean soup received rave reviews from the family. The only sub on this was spinach for the Kale. Hats off, as usual
Perfect soup recipe for a cold January evening.
I’m so glad you loved it!
This turned out really well!
Had it for dinner last night, and added a bit extra veg that was in the fridge
Hits the spot on a chilly day
I’m so glad you loved it!
Made it for dinner this week. Comes together in less than 30 minutes and reheats well! Definitely will make again in the future.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!