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What Makes This White Bean Soup Work
- It’s genuinely fast without tasting rushed. A clever use of canned beans and stock means you get depth and body in under 15 minutes, which makes this White Bean Soup ideal for weeknights when patience is low.
- Creamy without adding cream. Lightly mashing the beans thickens the broth naturally, giving you that cosy, spoon-coating texture without heavy ingredients or extra steps.
- Balanced and flexible. The spinach and white bean base keeps things hearty but not heavy, making this a simple bean soup that works as a starter, a main, or a fridge clean-out hero.
- Pantry-friendly and repeatable. Everything here is easy to keep on hand, which is why this bean soup recipe earns a permanent spot in the regular rotation.
What Goes Into White Bean Soup
This White Bean Soup keeps things simple with pantry staples and a few fresh touches that make it shine. Here are the key ingredients that bring comfort and flavor to every spoonful:
- White Beans: Cannellini beans are the star, giving the soup its creamy body and mild, nutty flavor without any heavy cream.
- Spinach: Fresh baby spinach wilts right into the broth, adding color, nutrients, and a light, earthy balance to the rich beans.
- Parmesan Cheese: A generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan adds salty depth and a savory finish that ties everything together.
- Vegetable Broth: Using a good-quality broth creates a flavorful base and makes this a wholesome, meatless bean soup recipe.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
Optional Add-Ins and Smart Swaps
Want to change things up without breaking the soul of the soup? These fit right in.
- Lemon Zest or Juice: A small squeeze at the end brightens everything and cuts through the richness.
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme, rosemary, or basil add another layer without complicating the recipe.
- Chilli Flakes or Chilli Oil: For a little heat that plays nicely with the creamy beans.
- Kale or Swiss Chard: Swap in sturdier greens if that’s what you have on hand. Just give them an extra minute to soften.
How To Make White Bean Soup
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in a pot over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; stirring, until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant.
- Build the Base: Pour in vegetable broth and drained diced tomatoes. Stir in sugar, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper.
- Simmer for Flavor: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Add Beans and Greens: Stir in the drained cannellini beans and baby spinach. Mix well to distribute everything evenly.
- Wilt and Finish: Simmer gently until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir through the Parmesan.
- Taste and Serve: Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parsley and parmesan if desired.
This comforting White Bean Soup pairs beautifully with dishes that bring unexpected flavors to the table. Try it with Sun Dried Tomato Cheesy Meatballs, which add a rich, tangy bite and a little indulgence alongside the light, creamy beans.
For a lighter Mediterranean option, Garlic Butter Caprese Portobello Mushrooms bring smoky depth and fresh tomato topping, making them the perfect earthy partner for this cozy soup.
Pro Tips From My Kitchen
- Mash with restraint. You want some beans broken down for body, but leave plenty whole so the soup keeps texture and doesn’t turn into purée.
- Add spinach last. Spinach only needs a minute to wilt. Adding it too early dulls the colour and flavour.
- Use good parmesan. Freshly grated parmesan melts better and gives a smoother, more savoury finish than pre grated cheese. Bagged parmesan contains anti caking agents that turn into a gummy glue in hot liquid. Always grate it fresh from a block.
- Taste after the cheese. Parmesan brings salt, so always adjust seasoning at the very end.
Recipe FAQ’s
Watch It Made
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10-Minute Parmesan White Bean Soup with Spinach
Bean Soup ready in 10 minutes is a May kind of soup! Make a double batch and have plenty of leftovers for the weekly dinner rush!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 6-8 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth or stock
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes canned, drained
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Italian dried herbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cans white beans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (can weight 14oz (400g) drained weight per can 8.5oz (240g))
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese fresh grated, for serving
- 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped, fresh
Instructions
- In a large pot or saucepan, heat olive over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), while stirring occasionally. Add in the broth, tomatoes, sugar, Italian herbs, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine all of the flavours together.
- Stir in the beans and spinach. Continue to simmer gently until the spinach has wilted, (about 2 minutes).
- Take off heat. Stir through the parmesan cheese. Taste test, adjust salt and pepper if needed.Serve immediately.
Notes
Tips: Substitute canned tomatoes for 3 fresh tomatoes, diced.
Nutrition
Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 938mg | Potassium: 765mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1.803IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this? Leave a comment below!
This is by far my family’s favorite soup recipe. It’s quick, uses ingredients normally in our pantry, and is healthy and filling due to the beans. We use two cans of tomatoes because we love them and add red pepper flakes to give it some heat. We have tried it with spinach and kale and a variety of white beans. It always turns out delicious. While we normally LOVE garlic, 3 cloves of minced, fresh garlic are plenty for this recipe – using the 6-8 cloves called for can be overpowering. Thanks for the great recipe!
This will be a family favorite. Really tasty! Thanks, so much. It was easy too. The ideal recipe.
Has anyone tried freezing this?
I wondered this too.
Yes…It is delicious reheated from frozen! Just leave out the cheese if you intend to freeze or can it…add the parmasan after reheating.
I liked this recipe so much, I made a triple batch and canned it in quart jars for long term storage. I also used frozen leaf spinach (thawed and water squeezed out) rather than fresh or frozen chopped spinach…as it holds up much better thru freezing or canning..
Yes, it freezes well.
I have, it’s great!
Wow! Quick and so delicious! We will definitely be making this again. I served it with sourdough bread, and some sauteed chicken (picky toddler). Also if you have a parmesan rind lying around, toss it in!
Yes to the parm rind! I also squeezed on some lemon before serving. Sooo good
This soup is really good! I picked it because I had to make soup for a dinner party and it was advertised as fast – and it was! My favorite thing about it is that it is so simple, but it definitely comes off as “fancy”! The first time I made it, I wasn’t blown away, until I added the cheese at the end – that really did it. Too bad the cheese clumps if you add it earlier – I’m thinking of adding a Parm rind and let it simmer for a bit to get a deeper cheese flavor. I’m also going to try making it with a smaller white bean next time. Can’t wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing such a good and easy (and fancy!) soup recipe!
I ran out of white beans. I rinsed some baked beans and was lovely. Now I just buy the cheapest baked beans and rinse them before putting in xx
Made this tonight and it turned out wonderful. Will definitely have it in the rotation. I added Trader Joe’s chili onion crunch suggested by another commentor and it really kicked it up a notch. Thank you for that suggestion
Very yummy and easy to make! I didnt have any parmesan, so I thought I wouldn’t like it as much, but it was still so yummy! Doing a grocery store run later to pick up parm and zucchini! Great, healthy soup! Will make again for sure.
This recipe was amazing!! I added Italian sausage, used a mix of Northern and Cannellini Beans and added extra spinach. I knew I would like it based on the ingredients but I truly LOVE it!!
This soup turned out great! I used fire-roasted canned tomatoes and they gave it a nice smoky flavor!
I just made this soup for the first time today but will not be eating it for a few more hours. Do I wait to add the Parmesan cheese when we are ready to eat it?? Or should I add it now?
Add it right before you eat it, or it will clump
This was the perfect meal. I used what I had in the pantry – 2 cans kidney beans, 2 cans chickpeas, and some leftover green beans and kale, and it came out AWESOME. So easy and so flavorful! Thank you!
Thumbs up! Made this soup this morning, since it cooled off here in Texas. The ingredients are simple without sacrificing flavor. This will be good for lunches, to share, and have some to put back. Thank you for the recipe.
I made this but because my husband and I like a little kick, I used Rotel tomatoes. Very good recipe.
Sounds amazing. Do you know approximate time in a crockpot for dry beans that were soaked?? I’m so excited to try this tonight.