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Creamy White Bean Soup

Creamy white bean soup made with cannellini beans, vegetables, garlic, and herbs, partly blended for a velvety, slightly chunky texture. Simmered until tender and finished with cream and Parmesan for a rich pantry dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion
carrots
  • 2 carrots
celery
  • 2 celery ribs
garlic cloves
  • 4 garlic cloves
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
fresh rosemary
  • 1 fresh rosemary
cannellini beans
  • 3 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
chicken or vegetable broth
  • 4 cup broth chicken or vegetable
bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese grated
lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
salt
  • 0.75 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 immersion blender

Method
 

Cook the vegetables
  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until softened.
  2. Stir in the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Keep stirring so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the cannellini beans, broth, fresh rosemary, and bay leaf. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  2. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the beans are tender. Turn off the heat when done.
  3. Remove the rosemary stem and bay leaf. Discard them and keep the pot off the heat briefly.
Blend and finish
  1. Blend about half of the soup with an immersion blender until creamy, leaving some whole beans for texture. Blend in short pulses and watch for smoothness.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice until fully combined. Mix until the soup looks glossy and slightly thickened.
  3. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, blend only about half the pot so you keep tender, whole beans in every spoonful. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a sealed container; reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is yes: cool completely, freeze up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge and reheat slowly. For a lighter option, use half-and-half or evaporated milk instead of heavy cream.