Easy White Bean Soup with Spinach

Some soups are light and brothy. This is not that soup.

White bean soup with spinach sounds simple enough, and in many ways it is. Store cupboard staples, fresh spinach, one pot and forty minutes with tinned beans. But what comes out is something far richer and heartier than the ingredient list suggests.

The technique that makes the difference is simple. A portion of the soup gets blended and stirred back in, creating a thick creamy base while keeping enough texture to make every spoonful interesting. Not fully blended, not fully brothy. Somewhere in between, which is exactly where it needs to be.

Rosemary, lemon zest and Italian seasoning build the flavour as it simmers. Spinach and fresh parsley go in at the end, keeping their colour and brightness. And just before serving, garlic and red pepper flakes get sizzled in extra virgin olive oil and poured straight over the top. That last step is the one that changes everything.

The kind of soup that earns its place in a regular weeknight rotation. Hearty enough to be a meal on its own, simple enough that you’ll actually make it again

Why You’ll Love This Soup

• One pot and ready in 40 minutes using tinned beans. The kind of weeknight dinner that actually happens.
• Packed with plant based protein from cannellini beans and vitamins from fresh spinach. Nourishing without trying too hard.
• Creamy without a drop of dairy. Blending a portion of the soup creates that rich texture while keeping enough body to make every spoonful satisfying.
• Completely adaptable. Swap spinach for kale or Swiss chard, add whatever vegetables you have. It holds up to almost anything you throw at it.

Ingredients use to make Creamy white bean soup with spinach:

Onion, celery, carrot and garlic. The foundation of almost every good soup and this one is no exception. Sauté them for about five minutes until they soften and sweeten — that’s where the depth comes from. Don’t skip this step and don’t rush it.

Bay leaf, rosemary and Italian seasoning. These are what give the soup its Tuscan character. You can swap them for whatever herbs you have but the flavour will shift. Worth keeping if you can.

Cannellini beans. The heart of the soup. They’re among the creamiest beans available and that’s exactly why they work so well here. Other white beans will do the job but won’t give you quite the same silky texture. If you can’t find cannellini, add a potato to compensate.

Vegetable stock. Use a good one. Homemade is ideal but a rich shop bought stock works well. The stock is doing a lot of the flavour work here so it matters more than it might in other recipes.

Spinach. Added at the end to keep its colour and freshness. Kale or Swiss chard work just as well if that’s what you have.

Lemon juice and zest. Added at the end to brighten everything. It lifts the whole bowl in a way that’s subtle but noticeable if you leave it out.

Helpful Tips and Tricks to Make White Bean Soup with Spinach

Cooking Dried Beans:

• If you’re using dried beans rather than tinned, soak them in plenty of cold water for anywhere between 5 and 24 hours. They’ll expand significantly so use a large bowl and don’t be stingy with the water.
• Once soaked, drain and bring to a boil in a large pot of fresh water with a tablespoon of salt. Partially cover with a lid and start checking at around the 35 minute mark. Cooking time varies depending on the size, type and age of the beans.
• Fresh dried cannellini beans soaked for 24 hours can be ready in as little as 25 minutes. Keep a close eye towards the end. Small beans can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in just five minutes, and overcooked beans will start to break apart at the edges.
• A pressure cooker speeds the whole process up considerably if you have one.

Bean Selection for the Soup:

• Cannellini beans are the first choice here for their creaminess, but any white bean works well. Navy beans, butter beans and lima beans are all good options. Kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans can also be used but will change the colour of the broth slightly. Worth knowing before you substitute.

Storage and Reheating:

• This soup keeps well in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, freeze it in portions and thaw overnight in the fridge when needed. Reheat gently on the hob over a low heat, adding a splash of stock or water if it’s thickened up too much.

Serving Suggestions

This soup is hearty enough to stand on its own but a thick slice of crusty bread alongside it is never a bad idea. Something to tear and dip into the broth while the garlic and red pepper oil is still sizzling on top.

A simple green salad works well alongside if you want to make it feel like more of a meal. And if you have good extra virgin olive oil to hand, an extra drizzle just before serving doesn’t hurt.

If you like this recipe you will also love our:

1. Spicy Bean and Carrot Soup
2. Pasta Fagioli Soup
3. Mushroom Soup with Green Chilli Oil
4. Creamy Carrot Soup with Tahini

If you make this recipe I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below and let me know. It genuinely makes a difference to know what’s working and what isn’t, and I read every single one. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook where I share new recipes, behind the scenes and whatever else is happening in the kitchen at Poetry of Spices.

White Bean Soup with Spinach

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 5 voted )

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Ingredients

• 3 (400G) cans of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 cups chopped yellow onions
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1.5 litres of vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
• ½ tsp Italian mix seasoning
• Zest of 1 lemon 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 150 grams spinach, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh flat parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Garnishing

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 clove garlic, finely chopped
• Fresh parsley leaves

method

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften and release flavors.
   Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil, 1.5 cups chopped yellow onions, 2 diced carrots, 2 stalks celery, 3 clove chopped garlic

2. Add the vegetable stock, bay leaf, Italian mixed seasoning, rosemary, lemon juice, and cannellini beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, adding more stock if necessary, until the beans are soft and the vegetables are tender.
   Ingredients: 1.5 litre vegetable stock, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp Italian mixed seasoning, 3 sprigs rosemary (finely chopped), lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 3 cans cannellini beans

3. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Let the soup cool slightly.

4. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pan.

5. Place the pan over medium heat, stir in the chopped spinach, and cook until the greens are bright green and slightly wilted. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
   Ingredients: 150g spinach, 2 tbsp parsley, salt, pepper

6. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, freshly chopped garlic, and parsley leaves for garnish.
   Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, parsley leaves

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