White Bean Soup With Tomato (Print Version)

Creamy white bean base meets tangy tomatoes in this comforting Mediterranean soup, ready in under an hour.

# Components:

→ Beans & Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 4 cups vegetable broth

→ Tomatoes & Seasonings

06 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
07 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing Touches

13 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream, optional
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in drained beans, canned tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy, or carefully transfer in batches to a countertop blender for blending.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream or coconut cream if using. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something this deeply satisfying and creamy.
  • White beans are magical little vehicles for flavor, and they soak up the Mediterranean seasonings without needing any cream at all if you'd rather skip it.
  • This soup tastes even better the next day, so it's the kind you can make ahead and reheat while doing a hundred other things.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of draining and rinsing your canned beans because the starchy liquid makes the soup taste tinny instead of bright and clean.
  • If you blend it while it's still steaming hot, leave the blender lid slightly loose or cover it with a kitchen towel because hot soup has pressure and will surprise you if you're not careful.
03 -
  • Taste your soup before you finish it because the last adjustment is where mediocre soup becomes the one people remember and ask for again.
  • An immersion blender kept right in the pot means less cleanup and more control over exactly how smooth you want things to be.
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