Description
This comforting and hearty white bean soup features creamy cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and aromatic rosemary, all simmered to perfection. Perfect for a cozy meal, it’s easy to prepare with pantry staples and can be customized with optional ingredients like spinach and paprika for added flavor and nutrition.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans & Vegetables
- 2 cans (28oz – 800 grams) cannellini beans or white beans, drained
- 1 medium-size onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, diced or pressed
- 1 cup (7 oz – 200 grams) frozen spinach (optional)
- 2 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Liquids & Seasonings
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) white wine
- 1 sprig rosemary (or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh leaves / 1/2 tsp dried)
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth or hot water
- 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook while stirring often for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Add Garlic and Flavorings: Stir in the garlic, beans, tomato paste, potatoes, rosemary (whole sprig, chopped, or dried), and optional paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute to incorporate the flavors.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the white wine and stir well. Let it simmer until the wine evaporates, cooking for about 1 more minute.
- Add Spinach and Broth: Add the frozen spinach, vegetable broth (or hot water), and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the Soup: Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the soup thickens.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pot from heat and discard the rosemary sprig if left whole. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and extra black pepper if desired. Serve with crusty whole grain bread and optionally, freshly grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. Enjoy!
Notes
- Vegetable Broth: Homemade broth from vegetable scraps and herbs can elevate the flavor, but store-bought low salt broth or hot water with broth cubes works well for quick prep.
- Seasoning Tips: Start with a small pinch of salt because broth can be salty. Adjust seasoning at the end to your taste.
- Storage: Soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well up to 2 months in airtight containers with space left at the top.
- Rosemary: Fresh sprigs shed leaves into the soup; remove before serving if preferred, or chop before cooking to distribute flavor.
- Vegetable Variations: Frozen spinach is convenient; fresh spinach can be added last 5 minutes, while kale or chard require longer cooking (5-10 minutes).
- Frozen vs Fresh Spinach: Use 7 oz frozen or a 10 oz bag fresh spinach if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
