This cozy, hearty White Bean Soup with spinach is packed with flavor, healthy protein and fiber, and is vegetarian and vegan friendly! Use canned beans and you can have it ready in less than 30 minutes or try the crockpot version!
Have you wanted to try making your own beans and skipping the canned versions? I've got everything you need to know about cooking beans in my post How to Cook Dried Beans.
If you prefer your bean soup to be on the creamy and thick side you would want to let it simmer much longer than the recommended 20 minutes to allow those beans to release their starches. Try the recipe as is if your family isn't usually fans of bean soup...it has a mild bean flavor.
This recipe utilizes simple, humble ingredients but produces a delightfully light and cozy soup that you'll make again and again! I like to dry and cook dried beans that I freeze and utilize just like canned beans but canned Great Northern Beans work great in this soup, as well!
Usually a good Tuscan soup throws some kind of meat into the recipe. I'm all for meat in this...ham, ground pork, or bacon are great options! BUT...believe me when I say this soup doesn't need it. There is plenty of heartiness and coziness with the veggies!
Don't skip the addition of lemon juice to this soup...it brightens everything up and adds SO MUCH flavor. You'll be so glad you took that extra step!
Try serving this soup with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of Parmesan cheese.
Does this soup freeze well?
Yes! Simply let the soup cool to room temperature and store it in your favorite freezer containers. It will keep in the freezer for a couple of months or your fridge for a week or two. We usually split it into several servings to use for lunches throughout the week.
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- â…› teaspoon red pepper
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cups white beans soaked & cooked (OR...1 can)
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
- 1 cups baby spinach chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil.
- Add the red pepper, onion, carrot, and celery to the pot.
- Cook untilt he onion is translucent (about 6 minutes).
- Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, bay leaf, basil, salt, & pepper and cook until fragrant (about 3 minutes).
- Add the beans, broth, and water. NOTE: if you use previously cooked beans that are quite soft add them in AFTER the broth and water has come to a boil so that they don't become overcooked.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the beans are your desired consistency.
- Note, if desired, add additional broth to get the consistency you would like for your soup.
- Right before serving add in the spinach and lemon juice.
- Add additional salt & pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
Add-ins to try:
-crushed tomatoes-sliced carrots
-diced ham
-cooked sausage
-cooked ground pork
-mushrooms
-sweet potato
-chopped zucchini
-small pasta
-Parmesan cheese
Crockpot Recipe:
Saute the onion, celery, and red pepper together. Add to a large crockpot.Add all of the remaining ingredients except the spinach and lemon.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Right before serving stir in the spinach and lemon.
Nutrition
Other cozy vegetarian soups to try:
