Mediterranean White Bean Soup

4.99 from 4259 votes

Try this vegan Mediterranean White Bean Soup for lunch or dinner. It's a quick gluten free soup recipe that's filled with vegetables and plant-based protein.

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If you’re looking for more vegan soup recipes that are going to fill you up and give you energy, this Mediterranean White Bean Soup is definitely one to try! It’s a super easy recipe to make with no fancy ingredients or complicated steps. And you can use canned white beans to make it even faster and easier.

Close up shot of white bean soup topped with parmesan cheese with a spoon inside bowl

It’s a hearty vegan soup with 15 grams of protein per serving, thanks to those powerhouse beans! The white beans are the essence of the soup because they are naturally creamy, making the soup rich without adding any dairy.

RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL

What ingredients do you need for white bean soup

Ingredients to make the vegan soup recipe
  • White beans: This is the base of the recipe so you’ll need 3 15-ounce cans of white beans. You can use navy beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans or any white beans. You can make this though with other types of beans or even chickpeas if you’d like. For convenience purposes, I use canned beans. However you can start with dried beans and soak them overnight instead.
  • Onions, carrots, & celery: This forms the mirepoix of the soup base, which is essentially the aromatics that flavor this soup and many others.
  • Garlic: Minced garlic or garlic paste, fresh garlic or frozen garlic, it all works in this white bean soup so you can use what you have. I love freezing garlic and using it in soups or other recipes that require cooking.
  • Vegetable Broth: Look for one made with simple minimal ingredients. You can use low sodium or regular. If you use low-sodium, you may need to add more salt.
  • Herbs: Fresh or dried work here. If you’re using fresh, you’ll want about 2 tablespoons total compared to 2 teaspoons total for dried. Since it’s a Mediterranean white bean soup, I think thyme and oregano work really well with the flavors.
  • Spinach (optional): You can use other greens too like kale or collard greens.
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional): This is for topping at the end, but you can leave it out to keep it vegan.

How to make white bean soup

This is a pretty standard recipe starting with the mirepoix: mix of onions, carrots and celery. You’ll want to add the herbs pretty early on so they can help flavor the soup from the get-go. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes.

Next add the vegetable broth and the white beans and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. The vegetables will continue to get tender and the soup will thicken.

Finally, add some fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach, and mix it around until it wilts. This adds more nutrients to the white bean soup and also makes it more hearty.

And in about half an hour, this white bean soup is done and ready to be served. When the beans sit longer in the soup, the broth will thicken, so you can always add more water if it gets too thick. And if it’s not thick enough for your preference, you can use an immersion blender to blend the beans into the broth, which will thicken it.

Collage showing steps to make white bean soup - saute onions, then add carrots and celery

You can enjoy the soup right away or let it sit for a while so it gets more creamy and thick.

Completed Mediterranean White Bean Soup after cooking in a large pot

Tips for making white bean soup

  1. Add more vegetables. What makes this such a great easy soup recipe is its flexibility. Aside from onions, carrots and celery, it’s very popular to add fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes to this recipe. I love the color of the vegetable broth and prefer keeping the tomatoes out of the recipe. You can also add zucchini, mushrooms, potatoes or peas.
  2. Allow the beans to simmer with the broth. Since the canned beans are already cooked, it may seem unnecessary to add them to the soup until the very end. However, they actually absorb all the flavors of the soup, and soften to lend a creaminess to the soup. So make sure to add them when the broth goes in.
  3. Stir the soup while it simmers. The canned white beans are very tender so they naturally make the soup thicker. But if you stir the soup and slightly mash the beans with a wooden spoon occasionally, it helps to break them down a bit more.
  4. Make it extra creamy by stirring in some cashew milk. This is optional but adds a rich and creamy flavor to the soup while still keeping it vegan.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use dry beans?

Yes, you can use dry beans, but I would recommend making them in advance and then adding to the soup. For 3 cans of beans, I recommend 2 ¼ cups dried beans. You can cook them in an instant pot or on the stove according to package instructions.

Can I freeze the white bean soup?

Yes, this soup freezes very well, so you can certainly make a big batch and freeze them for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing in individual portions for easier thawing.

Mediterranean white bean soup in a large white bowl

This Mediterranean white bean soup is the perfect comfort food for cold winter days. It’s a thick hearty soup that’s vegan, gluten-free and absolutely tasty! I love that it has a rich taste that works as a side soup or a complete dinner option with 15 grams of protein per serving!

For more vegetarian soup recipes:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Mediterranean White Bean Soup recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

This recipe was originally published January 24, 2019 and has been recently updated with a slightly modified recipe and new photography.

Mediterranean White Bean Soup

Try this vegan Mediterranean White Bean Soup for lunch or dinner. It's a quick gluten free soup recipe that's filled with vegetables and plant-based protein.
5 from 4259 votes
Servings 6 servings
Course Soup
Calories 301
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 large carrots chopped
  • 3 celery stalks chopped
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 (15-ounces) canned white beans drained and rinsed
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  • In a large pot or saucepan, heat the olive over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Add vegetable broth and beans, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to combine all of the flavors together.
  • Stir in the spinach and continue to simmer until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes
  • Remove from heat, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing it individual portions for easier thawing. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and microwave until heated through. Or simply microwave straight from the freezer until heated through.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However you can omit some vegetables as you see fit and add others you enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 436mg, Potassium: 1282mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 7334IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 212mg, Iron: 8mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Course: Soup

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Delicious! I was looking for a vegetarian soup- “white color” and not cream based for my “Flight of Soups”- for Book Club. This is perfect!

  2. Skip adding any salt. It was too salty for me and I only added a 1/2 t. And I used 2 cans of beans, not 3. That was plenty. Otherwise, it was very good

  3. This soup was so delicious! I cooked the carrots and celery a little longer than it called for but still kept it a little crunchy. I also used low sodium organic veggie stock and added salt as needed. The Parmesan made it even more yummy

  4. If you do not absolutely LOVE oregano, do NOT make this soup. It could be doctored up to be okay but I will not be making this one again.

    1. Sorry this didn’t come out as you expected. There is only 1 teaspoon of oregano in this recipe, which is not much considering the amount of liquid it calls for, but you can certainly skip it if you do not like the flavor.

  5. This soup is amazing I’m in the uk, I used one large carrot, a medium onion one courgette tinned butter beans or cannellini beans, spinach everything in the recipe. I used 2 pints of vegetable stock gluten free and I added a tin of chopped tomatoes.

    Thankyou for this wonderful recipe I don’t understand the comments saying it’s not tasty, I think they could have got the amounts wrong, keep trying it is very good.

  6. This soup is now one of my favorite soups! I recently developed an allergy to tomatoes and have missed soup! This made my week! 🙂 I did make some substitutes such as I added ground chicken, used chicken broth, kale instead of spinach and added some Italian season!!

  7. I used white onion, better than bouillon vegetable base, fresh thyme and oregano and then used 1 can each of cannellini, garbanzo and great northern beans and added baby white potatoes (cooked with soup for 20 minutes before adding beans)- came out absolutely fantastic.

  8. I will admit that I made this without the carrot and celery (didn’t have them) or the spinach (forgot to add) but even my kiddos gave it five stars! They probably would have been a solid 3 to 4 with the other veggies. I am impressed!

  9. Perfection! Easy to make. I used fresh herbs and added a spoonful of Better Than Bullion to make the broth more flavorful. So Good!

  10. This soup is amazing! It’s as good as it looked. I’ve been making this steady rotation for 3 years now. It’s a hit every time! I do substitute chicken broth and spinach for kale based on preference and nutritional needs. When I chop the carrots and celery, I chop the whole package then freeze what’s left for other soups. Thank you.

    1. The parmesan cheese is optional so you can either leave it out to keep things vegan, or use a vegan cheese if you prefer.

  11. This soup is absolutely delicious and easy! I added a little bit of lemon juice and swapped out parsley for coriander and it tasted delish. Thank you so much for such an amazing recipe. Parmesan was perfect at the end.

  12. Since I found this recipe I’ve made it at least once a week. I hate cooking but LOVE this. I use garlic and onion powders and McCormick Italian seasoning instead of herbs. I toss in a can of carrots and tons of spinach at the end. No fuss cooking! No Parmesan but if I ever serve it to company I’ll offer that.

    I’m on a weight loss journey and this is satisfying. Although, admittedly, sometimes I eat the whole pot. But it’s the only thing I eat that day.

    Thank you for sharing this!!!!!!

  13. I made this tonite and it is delicious! Adding the parmesan on at the end, perfect! Thank you for the great recipe.

  14. I made this tonight! Exactly as recipe! So delicious and comforting. Served with parsley and cheese as recommended and just added a dash of Tabasco. Omg!!!! Bomb!

  15. This was really good! It cooked up perfectly and had great flavor. I added ground turkey and used 1 can canellini beans and 1 can chickpeas. Thank you

  16. Delicious. I didn’t change one thing about the recipe (rare to see, I know). Parmesean on top was a good touch.

  17. I’ve made this soup several times and its always a hit! I add 16 oz of lean organic ground turkey and decrease the beans to just 1 can for dietary purposes and it is still delicious!

  18. Starting to eat Mediterranean to reduce our cholesterol and came across this recipe 🙂 My husband and I love it! I made it with 4 cups of water and 4 teaspoons of Better than Boullion vegetable broth base, 2 cans of cannellini beans because it is just the two of us. I also used fresh thyme because I had some and frozen spinach. There was enough for lunch the next day – yum!!

  19. I have not made this soup yet, but am looking for a vegan and gluten free soup that will sit in a crockpot so that we can serve the judges lunch, during an all day tournament. Would you recommend starting in the morning and then adding the spinach, say, 30 minutes before serving?

    1. I would recommend making the soup ahead on the stove top per the directions in the recipe, and leaving the spinach out. Then, the day you need to serve it, I would reheat it using the high setting of the slow cooker for several hours, then add the spinach about 20 minutes before serving. Hope this helps!

  20. Soup is easy to make and very tasty..but..I think it only needs 1tsp..of thyme rather than 2..

    Only had 4 cups of vegetable broth..so added 2 cups of chicken broth with to add to it.

    Really good soup

  21. I love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times. The only issue I keep having though is how long everything cooks for. I usually have to add an additional 30 minutes. I have an electric stove though, so I wonder if that’s the problem 🤔

    1. I would say try cooking the vegetables a bit more before adding the broth. Since you mentioned you have an electric stove, it may be taking the veggies longer to soften while sautéing. Once they have a little bit of give to them, then add the stock and see if that helps with the cook time!

  22. I was searching for a pescatarian bean recipe and this was delicious. I save my vegetable scraps and make my own vegetable broth and homemade broth adds tons more flavor! This recipe is easy, super healthy and filling.

    1. Love that you made your own broth, what a great way to reduce food waste and add tons of flavor! Glad you enjoyed the soup!

  23. Love this simple soup. Added extra garlic and spices. I also used lots of spinach. Topped with Nutritional
    Yeast and it was delicious. Make it to taste. That’s what cooking is all about! Third time making! Easy and inexpensive!

  24. I love this soup. I’ve made some variations. Instead of 6 cups of vegetable stock, I used 4 cups of vegetables stock and 4 cups chicken broth. Instead of 3 cans beans, I use 4. I used Cannellini beans. Then I add 2 cups chard, 2 cups kale, 2 cups collard greens. Sometimes I add a cup or so of chopped up leftover roasted chicken. Makes such a hearty meal! Thank you for this recipe

  25. I was hesitant to make this, but did because of all the great reviews. This came out actually worse than I thought. I’m not a vegetarian, so I cooked thick cut pieces of bacon first and set aside. Used a little of the bacon grease to saute the veggies, and followed the instructions. Super bland!!

    1. I should’ve read the reviews before making the recipe. I followed the instructions to a tee and also found it bland and lacking in flavor. All the 5 star reviewers added their own variations and had altered the original recipe.

      1. I haven’t made this yet but thought I would throw my two cents in. Recipes to me are fluid. I usually read a few for the same dish and take bits and pieces catered to my liking. I seldom follow a recipe to a T. The ingredients you hold may be different than the authors. For example some lemons are very pungent and others aren’t. Garlic, onion, tomatoes etc. all vary in flavor. Go with your gut (no pun intended) and taste the strength of each item before deciding on quantity. Happy cooking to all!

  26. This was a real winner. I made White Northern beans in Instant Pot and used them in the recipe. So delicious I ate it all week. Making another batch this week with a mixture of beans. So darn yummy and I love how healthy it is. Weight Watchers approved for sure!!

  27. I love this soup. I use dry beans and just simmer the whole thing for a couple hours until soft. I also add some tomato paste to give the broth more umami, about 2 tablespoons I think.

        1. Hi Tracey, thank you so much! Yes, the nutrition info is for a bowl, which is around a cup of soup. You’ll have to come back and let me know what you think of it when you make it.

  28. I’m new at using online recipes so please excuse this basic question. How do I serve a serving size without knowing what that size is? I know that this recipe makes 6 servings, but without doling it all out into 6 bowls, how do I know what the serving is? I bet I missed this information somewhere in your recipe! I’m heading out to get the ingredients not — meets my need for a cardiac healthy meal and my husband, who’s a vegetarian. Thank you!

    1. Hi Vicki, thanks so much for your question. The actual serving size does vary but it is around 1 1/2 to 2 cups per serving. I hope you and your husband enjoy it!

  29. I wanted to love this, but it seriously lacked in flavor. I even substituted chicken and beef stock for the veggie stock. No help. I am no gourmet so I don’t know what to suggest. Also, for anyone using dry beans, don’t make the mistake I did and only soak them for 24 hours. You also have to cook them for a solid two hours before using them in this recipe. That should be emphasized in the recipe. On the plus side, this fit perfectly with my goal of eating healthier. I also blended mine in the end and that seemed to enhance the flavor somewhat, but there’s still something missing. Either that or I just haven’t been eating healthy for very long!!

    1. Hi Maury,
      I made this for the first time tonight. I thought the same…no taste. I added another teaspoon of salt & now it’s perfect, imho.

          1. Thank you for the feedback, Sarena. Feel free to add some more salt or seasoning for your preferred taste.

  30. I have now made this wonderful soup several times over 2-3 years. I serve it for guests and just family. It is as also my first experience freezing a full premade meal- it was just as wonderful a month later. This is a great warm winter soup or light summer soup. I do use chicken broth and occasionally add chopped asparagus. I can’t say enough good things about this soup.

  31. Outta this world soup. and so filling… can’t stop eating … by any chance do you have a vegetarian recipe for egg drop soup . My daughter will eat the product of an animal just no meat . She loves egg drop soup . Haven’t found the right one yet 🤞

    1. Thank you so much, Shirley! No I do not have a recipe for egg drop soup. I hope you find one she loves!

  32. Most recipes with veggie stock I feel are lacking something flavorwise at the end, I am happy to report this is not true with this soup. This has become a go-to meal for feeding myself and my friends; it’s so easy and customizable, not to mention DELICIOUS! Always a pleasure to dunk a nice crust of bread into this soup. I’ve made it with ditalini, with chicken stock, with zucchini and all sorts of different beans and it’s always good, no matter what.

  33. turned out amazing!!! I added zucchini, a can of diced tomatoes, and 2 bay leaves – I also subbed spinach for kale because it’s what I had on hand. can’t wait to make this again.

  34. I love this soup and have made it a few times. I use chicken broth for a bit more protein and add chopped asparagus. Even my picky eaters love this!

  35. Followed the recipe and it turned out tasty. Decided to add potatoes, cumin, more garlic and oregano. Put in just a tiny bit of pepper seeds as we love some kick. Without the additional ingridients it was great as it was.. Paired it off with avocados as I can’t eat many things. But this recipe is a keeper.

  36. Your soup was so delicious. I just made today. Please forward me more healthy meals.

    Thank you
    Doreen

  37. I have made this several times and it is absolutely delicious. My friends and family love it. I also add zucchini. I only use two cans of beans but add 1/2 cup quinoa once everything else is simmering. Yum!

    1. Hi Aspen, I use canned beans for this recipe, so you do not need to soak them. If you use dry beans you will need to soak and cook the beans before adding them to the soup. Hope you enjoy!

  38. Great recipe! For more flavor I added herb de Provence, dry bay leaves, Parmesan rind and lemon juice.

    1. To add depth to the flavor, I add 1/2 small can of tomato paste and use half veggie and half chicken stock. Chopped seedless tomatoes round it out nicely.

  39. I just started the Mediterranean diet and found this recipe. It was easy to make with ingredients I had on hand and it was delicious. Thank you

  40. Loved making it and eating it!!! Added crspy fried bacon bits as topping after serving. But delicious without it too. My family made positive comments about my cooking last night – in a long while. Thank you for the recipe.

  41. Fun to make and super easy. This soup is delicious and while we are not vegan, we did not even miss meat because it is so tasty and satisfying.

  42. Oh, WOW! This is the Best Soup, I’ve ever tasted! 10 Stars! My Grandson visited, had two bowls, loved it! The next day, he came back for more! Recipe texted to family & friends. Next it goes on my Facebook & Instagram site. Thank You, Marie

    1. Thank you so much, Marie! I am so glad you liked the soup, and I really appreciate you sharing it with family and friends!

  43. Souper easy, souper healthy, souper delicious. Made recipe as it is written I never alter a recipe until I make it once. All I kept thinking is how good this would be with pancetta or ham it would be a different recipe but I think it would be great.

    I made a nice antipasto style sandwich to go with the soup for a delicious dinner.

    Thanks for the great recipe.

    1. I am so glad you like it! Love the “souper”. I might have to add that to my next soup recipe post! Yes, you can certainly add to the soup! I love how versatile this recipe is!

    1. Hi Laurie! This recipe will feed 5-6 people at about 1 1/2 to 2 cups per serving. I hope that helps and hope you like it!

  44. Came out great! The only change I made is to add a pinch of dried chili peppers with the seasonings- for my husband who always adds tobasco sauce to his soup.

    1. Hi Stan, thank you for your question. This recipe is divided into 6 servings which is about 1 1/2 to 2 cups per serving. Hope that helps and hope you like it!

  45. This soup is so delicious! I did not have white beans but had mixed beans and they worked well. Also decided to pop in a Parmesan rind and woah, the soup was a hit! Family has requested it go on our roars room. Thank you for sharing this quick and tasty recipe!

  46. What a wonderfully healthy and satisfying soup. I added 2 cans of diced tomatoes and it yielded a good amount more for 4 people. Thanks for a great recipe!

  47. I love this soup. It is easy to prepare and is very filling. I usually follow it exactly but I’ve also tried it with kale and added ham pieces. It keeps me fed for days.
    Thank you feel good foodie!

  48. My husband and I love this soup. Now on the weekend I want something fast I will make this. I add herbs from Provence . Since I didn’t put any salt in it.

      1. Made this for 3 degree weather tonight and it hit the spot! I did feel like it was lacking some flavor after i only put in 1/2 tsp of salt instead of a full tsp, so squeezed an entire lemon at the end and it was delicious! Definitely recommend to sprinkle with Parmesan right before serving.

  49. Such a good hearty and healthy soup. I used kale instead of spinach. This is going to be one of my favorite go-to quick meals.

    1. Thank you so much for your feedback! When you go to any of my recipes, you can click “JUMP TO RECIPE” so it’ll take you straight to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  50. This soup was so flavorful and all around amazing. I used white cannelini beans and we had a rustic baguette to dip into the delicious broth. Thanks for such a great recipe! Will definitely make this again.

  51. I follow the recipe as is except I didn’t have parsley. It turn out pretty delicious. Our weather starting to get cold so this was a good idea. Thanks

    1. I’m glad you still enjoyed it without the parsley! Hope you continue to stay warm and cozy with this soup. You’re welcome!!

  52. Hey, I cant wait to try this tomorrow!
    Just reading the reviews makes me… ahhh!
    Where I live, theres no veggie broth. Can I subsitute with water?

  53. This was my first bean soup and it was fantastic! After reading reviews, I added some rosemary, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. I also added more carrots because I had more on hand. Topped it with freshly shredded parmesan. Absolutely delicious and reheated well as a meal prep.

  54. This soup was amazing! However, my husband wasn’t having it without meat so I browned some andouille sausage in the pot while sautéing the onion.

    1. Thank you so much! That sounds like it would be a delicious option for someone looking to add meat to this meal.

  55. This soup was very bland. Thankfully it was fixed after I added Vegeta seasoning! I also diced & boiled some potatoes on the side and added them. I reserved some and threw them in the blender. Then spooned about 2 cups of the beans and veggies and blended them. I added them back and stirred. I squeezed lemon juice over my bowl and added pepper flakes! Thank goodness for a basic soup base!

    1. Thank you for your feedback. I’ve never found this recipe to be bland, but it can vary by individual. And, yes! I love using an immersion blender to blend the beans into the broth, which will thicken it.

    2. Ok I didn’t deviate from the recipe other than I don’t use can products, I did use a combination of chicken and veggie bouillons, I just had them on hand and I watch any salt in products. I did saute the onions as the recipe states then added the celery and carrots, note to myself I need to cut up the carrots and celery smaller. I also about a TBSP of tomato paste and blended that in with the veggies let that cook for a few minutes then added my broth. As for the seasonings I hate Thyme so I used dried parsley, and I have Oregano from Lebanon dried so it is again pretty strong so I did just as the recipe stated. The salt was fine but I did also use my pepper mill just before serving an added fresh ground pepper at the end.

      I cook my beans followed your instructions 2 and 1/4 cup dried covered them in water and let them soak for almost 24 hours drained them then added parsley and garlic cloves and cooked it I would say about 30 to 40 minutes. My first time cooking beans so they were tender and soft but I think less time and maybe not so tender just about done then add to the broth along with the fresh spinach.

      Also did give it a squeeze of fresh lemon juice probably like a full Tbsp. It just added a bit of freshness. I think it was good. I am still adjusting to eating this way as my husband has a no fat, dairy, or meat diet because of health issues. He didn’t like it and my thought tomorrow after it has been in the fridge and the flavors marry each other I think it will be better. A few little changes for my household and I think it will be great. I had some beans just out of the pot to try, and I already would just make the beans with garlic and some fresh herbs and a bay leaf and I would be very happy. Thank you for turning me on to dry white beans, I am now a convert.

    1. For 3 cans of beans, I recommend 2 ¼ cups dried beans. You can cook them in an instant pot or on the stove according to package instructions.

    2. I measured out 2 and 1/4 cup white dry beans, and cover them in water and soaked them for nearly 24 hours in my fridge. Then I drained them, cover them with just enough water and then added some garlic cloves, and a bit of baking soda which I stirred in and some fresh parsley. Get to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cover and watch them they will get a foam on top so just skim that off, and cover and check them around the 20 to 25 minutes. Once they were tender I just let them sit on the stove no heat. I added them at almost the end with the baby spinach. Next time I will cook them a little less and then add in for the last 20 minutes of simmering the veggies and broth. I did also add fresh squeeze lemon juice and up the salt and pepper. It was tasty.

  56. I made this soup for the first time today. It was for my daughter who is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. After chemo, she doesn’t feel like eating much, especially anything that is too cheesy or too spicy. She loved this soup. The great thing is that you can make it as spicy or mild as you wish. I made it as is. The only thing I added was some cashew milk (for added calories) and rosemary. It reminded me and my daughter of stuffing, on account of the herbs. I am now calling it Thanksgiving Soup. Anyway, it was a hit. We will both be making it again. Thanks for having a recipe that is so adaptable. The other thing is that she is a vegetarian who eats very little dairy. This recipe is good comfort food.

    1. I’m so glad your daughter enjoyed this soup! Thanksgiving Soup is such a fun name. You’re so welcome! Your daughter is in my thoughts and prayers.

  57. Wow! I made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! My husband is vegan so I didn’t use the cheese. I cooked it in my Dutch oven pot. I felt good after eating it and ate it with some toast and vegan butter. We’ll definitely be having this again!

  58. I am going to try this hopefully tonight. Honestly I just had to comment because I couldnt leave the amount of comments at 666…

  59. I love this soup so much. We make it often because it’s so simple and so delicious! It’s also really versatile and easy to add extra vegetables you have that you need to use up. We have tried it with zucchini and cauliflower florets, both excellent. Also, the leftovers are great. What’s not to love?? A comfort food staple in our house!

    1. Unfortunately I have yet to try this recipe in an Instant Pot. However, you can cook the dried beans in an instant pot and then add it to the soup.

  60. Yumna. This soup is just too good and delicious! It’s been in my family for as long as I remember. My favorite! For all those helpless and hopeless people who complained about this soup being so blend…well,I have one thing to say. Get a life and learn how to follow recipes instead of trying to be “creative” with your own versions of this classic soup. It’s so basic. How could anybody screw this up!

  61. Just made this soup, followed the recipe as written. I did add 1/2 cup of peas for some extra green and the juice of 1 lemon. It’s delicious. After blending it feels hearty with all the beans, I may serve it with some orzo too!

  62. Just made this and it turned out amazing 😍 Added a little extra salt (used low sodium veggie broth), plus some red pepper flakes and rosemary based on the recommendations here in the comments. I strongly encourage a long simmer to really mix the flavors in. Thanks!

  63. This soup suuuuuuuuucks ! it’s gross, basically just three tins of white beans in warm water with a dried thyme floating at the top. Can’t brlieve I msde so much of this – such a waste 🙁 do better feel good foodie !

    1. Thank you for your feedback! Did you use an immersion blender to blend the beans into the broth? It adds a lot to the recipe!

  64. AMAZING!!!!! I doubled the spices and garlic and added 3 large sprigs of rosemary. Immediately sent this off to all my sisters. This will become a staple in our home. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!!!❤️

    1. Thank you for your feedback! What would you suggest to not make this bland? I have tried this recipe many times and have had many people try this recipe, and they’ve said it’s very flavorful.

      1. Add ground Italian sausage! I made this soup last year. I know it’s not vegan, but I added (browned) ground Italian sausage as I need to make it meatier/hardier for the guys (one with dairy allergy). Might be helpful to those who thought it was bland.

      1. It was very bland for me too. I think I would use chicken stock next time I made it and add a can of tomatoes. I think the veggie broth is very watery tasting.

          1. I don’t find it bland! I didn’t have spinach so I substituted fresh basil leaves and it was great. Nice to have a recipe that doesn’t have tomatoes.

  65. SIMPLY DELICIOUS!!! I make this All the Time now but especially when we have guests over!! It’s SO EASY yet everyone will want the recipe!! I serve it with a nice simple Salad, plenty of Crusty Bread with Olive Oil and Grated Cheese – DONE!!! It’s easily “tweakable” depending on what you have available at your fingertips. I will sometimes play around with the spices… but that doesn’t typically make it better. LOL One thing I tend to add, more often than not, is a can of diced tomatoes or super fresh ones if it’s summer. They aren’t absolutely needed, but we enjoy them. I also like to let the soup simmer for around an hour so all the flavors marry together. (I add the spinach at the very end) Allowing it to simmer longer will also give you a nice thick soup, just don’t cook your beans to death!! ENJOY!!!

  66. I made this so many times for my lunch at work. I transferred them on an individual containers and put them in a freezer. So I take one out for my next day lunch. It’s very filling. Sometimes if I ran out of vegetable broth I used chicken broth instead and tasted good too. I even shared this recipe to my friends and coworkers. They loved it!

  67. Just starting this now for dinner tonight. Planning to add a bit of ham. Also zucchini cornbread on the side. Looking forward to it.

  68. I followed your recipe exactly except I made a slightly larger batch (recipe and 1/2) I like to use better than bouillon vegetable broth. I highly recommend using that if you can find it!! This is SO easy and SO good!! LOVE it!!! I will definitely be making this again. Thanks so much for such a wonderful and simple recipe!

  69. Hi Yumna,

    I have 2 cans of kidney beans sitting in my pantry for a long time that i’d like to use. Will this recipe work as printed with that? I want to try it with the same spices and see how it turns out..

    Thanks for your help!

  70. It is 40 degrees and wet outside so decided to make this soup. I had some left over kale so I used it instead of spinach. I also had 2 parsnips and a hand full mushrooms. It turned out awesome. Toasted some garlic Tuscan bread to go with it. Its a keeper!

  71. This was very bland without some modifications – more herbs, lemon juice, etc. A good base, but needs adjustments.

  72. Looks Beautiful!! And like my Grandmothers Pasta Fagioli got to have the Parmesan sprinkle, as in the picture. I’m going to make this today looks Wonderful,TY!!!

  73. This soup is delicious. I only modified by adding a can of diced tomatoes. So much flavor and is excellent.

  74. I was looking for a white bean soup that was easy and delicious and OMG this is sooo good!!!!! It will be a staple in my home from now on. I did 1/3 of the recipe and changed the spinach for collard greens. It was delicious

  75. This was delicious! I had to tweak it a tiny bit with what I had on hand (two cans of beans, frozen spinach, chicken stock instead of veggie stock) – and it was so good. The beans break down a little with cooking, adding a little creaminess to the broth, and the Parm cheese was the best finishing addition! I’ll be making this again! Next time I look forward to having another can of beans and fresh spinach on hand.

  76. Great recipe! Every week I make a new veggie soup for my 2 yr old son to make sure he’s getting that veggie nutrition because he won’t eat them normally, lol.(I did add a little of bit cooked chicken breast). oh man it was so great! I blended the soup all together to disguise the veggies and my son loved it!
    Thanks!

  77. I’m gluten free all the time (celiac). Always looking delicious recipes. Thanks so much. This is one I will be trying soon.💖💖

  78. This is delicious. A few suggestions for those going toothless: (1) Ignore the carrots. (2) Cook the celery before adding the onions. (3) Double the thyme, garlic and oregano. Thanks for posting the recipe.

  79. Hi! Can I use chicken broth instead of vegetable? Don’t have any veggie broth and no time to run to the store!

  80. Absolutely amazing & nutritious Soup! I cannot cook ….Your soup was so easy & FUN! I used dry beans because I had bought too much for some other recipe…no memory ?
    So healthy & I added a few small red potatoes so my hubby would like it….he went for seconds! Thanx for Your energy Yumna! I will be making this soup again! 🥰

  81. GREAT recipe! I make this his every two to three weeks. It’s healthy and fills you up. I use the immersion blender before I add the spinach. Thank you!

  82. Excellent and Easy!!

    I used 2 cups of dry Navy Beans and let them simmer first in 6 cups of water, 6 Bay leaves and 4 large cloves of garlic. Beans were very soft after 3 hours.

    Preparing the balance of the ingredients was followed as per recipe other than I added additional salt and pepper ( 1 tsp of black pepper and 3 teaspoons of salt in total) .

    The soup was a bit thick and had huge flavour so I added another 2 cups of water.

    This is a keeper!

  83. I like this recipe, I prefer not too spicy myself but my hubby does so I’ll just add some for him. I’ll use it again, so quick and you aways have the ingredients in the cupboard. So thumbs-up for me!

  84. Made this for my family. It was wonderful. We loved the clear broth.
    Served with lemon wedges and cilantro. A real keeper. Thank you

  85. Made it today for my dinner and turned out perfect. Although I don’t have the spinach and I only use 4 cups of broth because it’s just me. So much flavor and I can freeze it for my lunch at work on some days. Thank you for sharing it.

  86. This soup is so easy to make and unbelievably good. One bowl and your full. Wanted more but was too full. Definitely will be making this over and over again
    Thanks for the great recipe

  87. This has to be one of my favorite soups I’ve tried! I was hesitant the flavor would be lacking, but it turned out so flavorful and hearty (I used 4 cups chicken stock, 2 cups chicken broth).
    One note: I took the suggestion from other reviewers and used a can of chickpeas in place of 1 can of beans but really preferred the cannellini beans. Will stick to using all cannellini beans the next time! The chickpeas just didn’t get soft enough for my preference.

  88. Really delicious – I used fresh thyme and oregano and a touch of hot pepper flakes. Very hearty with great depth of flavor. My husband loved it – thank you for sharing ❤️

  89. This is so delicious! Mine didn’t get creamy though which was super disappointing I just have done something wrong. 😢

    1. Thank you! Try stirring in some cashew milk. This is optional but adds a rich and creamy flavor to the soup while still keeping it vegan!

    1. It is! If you scroll down to the recipe card, on top of the image in the recipe card there is a printer button, which will allow you to print the recipe.

  90. Myself and my spouse are trying to be more Mediterranean in our diet so tried this recipe no change except a 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes. Initially when I tasted it I thought it was bland (in fairness I am of Indian descent so used to spicy curry’s) and I was wrong. After the first few bites the flavour profiles showed thru and it was delicious and would not want to change the recipe at all – wonderful recipe – thank you!

  91. I used 2 cups of chicken bouillon, 1 can of great northern beans, I didn’t drain them. I didn’t have celery, so added celery salt for the flavor.
    It was so delicious, we ate it all!

  92. I’ve made what you call white bean soup before I saw your recipe
    I made what you call energy snacks for years.
    Comment: I throw 2 cans white beans in bowl and heat 1 minute. I dump all vegetables I want into.pot. Olive oil is heathy but wasted here. I take pot off heat in 5 minutes & then add spinach and herbs. Spinach should be tasty & not wilted this way. Herbs disappear when hot so always best to throw in last before you take off heat
    As for my oats & peanut butter bites – Add three fistfuls oats and 4 Tbl nutty peanut butter. Stomp it together with spoon and hand. Add any spice you want. I like cinn & cloves. Never use fruit, or honey or syrup- loaded w sugar.

  93. Delicious tasting but it never thickened up. Immersion blender didn’t help. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Serving it for dinner tomorrow. Thank you.

    1. Glad you enjoyed the taste! I would recommend simmering it for longer because when the beans sit longer in the soup, the broth will thicken. When you used the immersion blender, were you blending the beans into the broth? Because that will help thicken it too!

  94. I wanted to make meatless soup that was perfect for a cold evening with no noodles. I found this recipe and made it for dinner tonight. My husband and I absolutely loved it! It was hearty, flavorful, and packed with veggies. Very easy to make!

  95. This soup has become a staple in our home, a favorite of mine, my husband, and our 3-year-old. It is filling yet light and healthy, not to mention super easy, and honestly, even with chopping the vegetables, it takes no time at all. Very few dishes used, so even cleanup is a breeze. I sauté the onions, carrots, and celery together because it allows the veggies to get more tender. I switch up the spinach depending on what I have- Swiss chard, rainbow chard, kale, all delicious. Thank you for this recipe.

  96. The soup was great! We are not vegan and I only wanted to make soup for the two of us.
    I used 2 cups of chicken bouillon, 1 can of great northern beans, I didn’t drain them. I didn’t have celery, so added celery salt for the flavor.
    It was so delicious, we ate it all!

  97. Super simple and delicious!! I had to use up some chicken broth, so I used 4 cups of chicken and 2 cups of veggie broth. I used my herbs I dried this summer and added an extra 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. It was all absolutely perfect! Thanks so much for all your hard work. In case no one has told you today – you are absolutely amazing at your job!

      1. I did mine in the instant pot yesterday, pressure cooked on high for 35 minutes. I used 2 cups dry white beans and it turned out great!

  98. This soup is absolutely delicious! The spices in this soup are superb! I use navy beans. I always follow the recipe exactly as it says, and I have had many comments on how good it is. I have given the recipe away to friends. This reminds me of my dad‘s navy bean and ham soup that he used to make when I was young. But, this is a very healthy alternative without the meat.

  99. I used a crock pot and slow cooked in time for dinner. I tossed all ingredients except for celery and garlic and there was no need to soften the vegetables in olive oil. The aroma that met me from work was indescribable and the soup one of the best I ever had, including restaurants. I’m making again today.

  100. Thank you! Great and simple recipe. I added two squirts from a tube of tomato paste and just a half cup of ditalini. What can I say, we’re Italian.

  101. Was wondering what to substitute parmesan cheese if you are vegan or vegetarian? Would appreciate advice on this. I’ve got feta in fridge if that works. Many thanks
    Mina

    1. I’ve heard a lot of people use nutritional yeast as a cheese substitute, as it adds vitamins and has a cheesy flavor when added to food.

    2. I make vegan parm by throwing 1 cup of raw unsalted cashews, a little salt, garlic powder and a 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast into my magic bullet or food processor and grind it up. The perfect vegan parm! Sorry I don’t measure the salt and garlic powder…I just throw it in 🙈

  102. This was so simple to make and so comforting on a cold day. I love making soups but sometimes I don’t want one that takes a while. This one was so quick!

  103. This was the most delicious soup I’ve had in a long time and so fitting for today. We had a huge dump of snow overnight and spent the morning shovelling our and our neighbour’s driveway.
    I’d soaked the dry beans overnight and the soup came together in about 45 minutes. I used chicken broth as that’s what I had on hand. Otherwise I made it as shown. It was so flavourful and hearty. It’s already a favourite. Thank you.

      1. This soup is wonderful! So simple yet so delicious. With ingredients that I always have on hand! I used 1 lb dried beans cooked in instant pot, and chicken broth, because, like I said, stuff I have on hand. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

  104. I made this soup tonight for the second time. What makes the recipe so good is the base and the flexibility. Once you get your mirepoix done (the onions, celery, carrot and garlic), you have flexibility on what else you want to add and it will always come out yummy.

    You can add other aromatics to your mirepoix if you have something on hand such as leaks, shallot, etc.

    Tonight I substituted Swiss chard for the spinach because I happened to have a nice bunch in the garden.

    Delish!

  105. This soup is so delicious! The spices were just right. I used 6 cups vegetable broth, and 1 cup milk to make it creamier. I also used kale leaves instead of spinach.

  106. My soup looked just like the picture, but I added a smoked turkey breast carcass during the first portion of the recipe, and removed it after about 30 minutes. It added a tiny bit of smokiness to the soup. I also added some frozen pesto and a parmesan rind. This is a very flavorful recipe, and certainly can be customized to your own tastes. Thank you!

  107. I made this yummy bean soup this week. I wanted to add more iron into my diet, and this is a great dinner for a chilly night.

  108. I’ve made this recipe several times and it is always a winner! Tonight I used some spicy vegetable broth in it as well and it was delicious! Often times I’ll brown some ground turkey first as this keeps my family happy to have a little meat in this soup. Overall it’s a big winner and I’m so glad I stumbled across this recipe!

  109. This looks delicious! I’d like to add cooked, chopped chicken breast. What if any changes would need to be made? Less beans? More broth?
    Thank you!

  110. My son is vegan and I was looking for a white bean soup recipe to mimic the flavor profile of a ham and white bean soup recipe he used to love. This is perfect! Only change we made was to throw in a whole block of cubed tofu to up the protein.

  111. This is such a good and simple recipe! I had a yellow potato left so I added it and a bit of vegetable juice. It was really good! I prefer this version over Minestrone.

  112. This is a must try recipe. Absolutely amazing! Spices are just perfect. My whole family enjoyed this soup. Will be a staple in our household for sure.

  113. I wanted to thank you for this site. I am helping a young man learn how to cook and in the past year he has taken big steps to become a much better cook for the future woman in his life delight. Thank you for this soup idea. He going to make it in the morning and take it to church for a pot luck.

    Charles.

  114. I made this delicious soup last night (added some young asparagus and field mushrooms) and my partner and I ate two good bowls of it – delicious! I’m going to play around with the spices / herbs / aromatics and see what other versions I can try.

    I did not use vegetable stock, I used fresh aromatic chicken stock that I make myself as we don’t eat meat all that much but are not vegetarian / vegan.

    Thanks for the delicious recipe!

  115. We’ve made our 3rd batch of soup with this recipe for the last 3 weeks! It’s a flavourful, healthy, and warming soup. We just love it! Another keeper!

  116. Oh, it’s a cool rainy day here in Michigan and a great day for soup! So, I made this and it was so delicious. I added 3 T arancini de Pepe and it thickened up quite nicely. Thank you so much for this delicious soup recipe. I will be freezing it in serving size containers

  117. This soup was absolutely delicious! I added some hot sausage to it so it was more hearty and it was a 10/10. Definitely recommend and will make it again!

  118. This is hands down the best soup I’ve ever made. I did make my own vegetable broth a few days before so it was perfect for this (it’s easier than you think and tastes way better). I also added a tablespoon of tomato paste and a bay leaf. I used only one can of cannelloni beans and added a full cup of bow tie pasta instead. Totally forgot about the spinach. May add next time but maybe not cause it was so delicious without it. I also simmered it longer than 15 min more like 40 min on really low simmer. Amazing!

      1. I agree. This recipe is delicious, especially with fresh thyme but it needs at least 45 mins for the beans to soften.

  119. It was a very delicious and hearty soup. I added chicken white meat tenders because my husband likes some chicken in his soup. He absolutely loved it! I did too! I will be making it again soon!!

        1. The cashew milk is optional but adds a rich and creamy flavor to the soup while still keeping it vegan.

  120. This def deserves it’s reviews. I expected this recipe to be a bust & simple as it is it came out very flavorful. I’m a vegan so I change up the veggies I use sometimes. Matter of fact, I’m here because I’m about to make some more to go with vegan “tuna melts”.

  121. Ok, there is no way this got 5 stars with 700 reviews. Is it a coincidence you see only 5 star reviews?! I’ve made a lot of soups in my day, and this is definitely in the bottom. I followed the recipe to the T, and it had no flavor, none at all. Tried adding more salt and more of the spices. Nothing. 3/10. I normally never leave reviews, but don’t want others to waste their time for a huge pot of tasteless soup.

    1. Thank you for your feedback! I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Was it just the flavor you didn’t enjoy?

  122. This was so simple and yummy! I chopped up the spinach before putting it in the pot. My husband’s throat has been sore this week so I wanted to make a quick meal that would be soothing yet filling.

  123. Can anyone tell me how to do this in my instant pot with dried beans? I’d like to just use the instant pot for the entire soup.

    Thank you!

    1. I read that if you make bean soup in the instant pot, the vegetables become obliterated by the overpowering flavour of the beans. Kinda like sacrificing flavour for saved time. Not sure if there’s any truth to this…?

      1. You will need to cook the soaked beans first in the instant pot and then add in rest of the ingredients and cook it again for 10 to 15 minutes.

  124. Delicious soup, we all loved it!!! I followed the recipe but forgot to add spinach. Next time will add spinach. I will definitely be making it again! Thank you for sharing.

  125. Oh my god this soup is so delicious.

    I pulsed it a bit at the end to thicken it up but not too much so there was still some texture to it.

    I subbed kale for spinach to give it that rustic feel. I can’t wait to feed my family tonight. They will love this soup.

    Thank you so much for sharing.

  126. Really tasty – I cooked it for a bit longer, and mashed it up a bit as you suggested, and it was really easy to digest. I normally get stomach ache from bean soups so this is a winner, thank you. x

  127. Nice soup! Very hearty and healthy. I cooked white beans in the instant pot to use in this soup. Since they were cooked in salt I should have cut down on the salt in the soup because it was too salty. Lemon juice and parsley helped that. Next time I’ll use my bean broth instead of veggie broth.

  128. I made this tonight wasn’t feeling well and it came together easy and I thought taste like one of the Olive Gardens soups even better thanks we will be making this more

    1. Hi! In the post, I state “Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional): This is for topping at the end, but you can leave it out to keep it vegan.”

  129. Oh yum! I had some cans of Navy beans that I wanted to use up and discovered this recipe. I didn’t have all of the exact ingredients – used the carrot, celery, onion, and broth. Added a parsnip that I had and a few tiny potatoes, quartered. Threw in some frozen peas and a 5 oz can of evaporated milk at the end – then some arugula because I didn’t have spinach. We loved it. I’ll add even more vegetables next time!

  130. For some reason I had been really craving a white bean soup. So I did some research and tried this recipe which looked simple and quick, I used canned beans. Since I like spicy food I did add two cans of Rotel tomatoes diced. Since I am not vegan I also added some Italian sausage that I happen to have on hand. It really spiced up the soup and made it quite Hardy. The only mistake I think I made was in adding too much spinach. For my taste I would leave it out next time. I plan to make this soup again this week. And a good crusty bread to go with it will be delicious

    1. I’m glad you came across this recipe and enjoyed it! You can definitely customize it to your liking like that. Pairing it with some bread is a great idea!

    2. Absolutely delish!! This is my second time making it for my daughter and I we love it no complaints here!😁 and yes it’s a reminder of one of olive garden’ s 🍲 will definitely make again and again especially on a cold rainy day BRAVO 👏

  131. This was surprisingly good for a simple soup! Bonus that it is also economical. The quantities of vegetables, beans, and liquid is easily adapted and forgiving to suit tastes; just make sure you add enough salt to bring out the flavour. I used a stock paste so was able to keep liquid volume low for a rich soup. Great touch with the wilted greens and Parmesan, but I highly recommend having with a freshly toasted crusty bit of quality bread! Will definitely be making again. Thank you.

  132. Nice recipe, thank you. I squeezed half a lemon into the soup at the end. It brought out the individual flavors and brightened the appearance. I also used my hand blender stick and mashed some of the beans. My 11 year old son loved it. Score.

    1. I made this tonight wasn’t feeling well and it came together easy and I thought taste like one of the Olive Gardens soups even better thanks we will be making this more

  133. It is a delicious soup. I added one can of butter beans and two cans of cannellini beans, which gave it interest with two different sizes of beans, also added small can of corn which gave it a nice crunch. At the last minute I also added about a quarter cup of Datilini pasta.

    It was then good and more hearty for the men in the house.

  134. The vegan recipe was delicious, but it crosses the line when suggesting parmesan as a topping. I can live with that, as this item is optional. There are non-daily cheeses on the market if you are a strict vegan (those whom I hate). I didn’t have the amount of vegetable broth and added chicken broth — so shoot me! In my mind a vegan isn’t going to keel over if they eat a little bit of animal product in a broth. Overall, I enjoyed this recipe. Oh yea, I did add a tbsp of tomato paste which I think was a good choice…all still vegan. And finally, make some super crunchy garlic bread to sop up the broth.

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed it! The grated parmesan cheese is for topping at the end, but you can leave it out to keep it vegan.

  135. I came across this at beginning of the pandemic, trying to find hearty, nutritious meals combining pantry and fresh items.
    It was a hit. The whole family loves it, and it has become a meal on regular rotation.
    Thank you!

  136. Great soup. Only one thing, it shouldn’t say “vegan” if you add parmesan cheese.
    I added vegan cheese, and it worked great.
    Thank you

    1. Thank you! The grated parmesan cheese is optional for topping at the end, but you can leave it out to keep it vegan!

  137. You should update your recipe because you didn’t mention to cover the soup for the 15 minutes simmer, yet you do it in your video.

    1. That step can be found on step 2 where it says simmer for 15 minutes to combine all of the flavors together!

  138. Looking for a protein replacement for meat and low salt recipes…my blood pressure is high, got it down with medicine. Are you sure there is 1355mg of sodium per serving? That’s like a full day’s maximum recommendation, which is a no-can-do. If I skip the salt and get low sodium versions of things like vegetable broth can I bring the sodium level down to something where someone like me could eat this?

    1. I think the nutrition label was assuming I’m using high sodium vegetable broth and I usually use low sodium or make my own. That’s the biggest thing driving the sodium levels. I’ve adjusted the nutrition label to better account for this. Thank you!

  139. This soup is so easy and very good. I increased the carrots and celery a little and added 1 cup of spinach and 1 cup of kale (instead of 2 cups of spinach), as that is what I had on hand. I will definitely make this again.

  140. This was such a great soup. It’s flavorful and quite easy to make. I served it with a loaf of fresh baked Rosemary Bread, but it would also be good with a fresh Italian (or French) baguette or some hard rolls. It made a really nice starter course, but it would need a bit of ham (or I thought maybe Italian sausage) for a more hardy course. But as written, it’s quite a wonderful soup.
    ~ Northwestgal/Vickie

    1. Yeah, that would work! I would recommend adding cooked quinoa to the dish, so you wouldn’t have to adjust the liquid ratio as much.

  141. I really loved the soup recipe . It turned out so delicious and healthy and it was so easy to make . Thank you!

  142. Awesome, but i didn’t have enough white beans, added cauliflower, green beans and at the last minutes, kale and green peas. Will do it again and again.

  143. Healty and delicious soup and easy to make , I used fresh white kidney beans drained in water overnight.

  144. This recipe is awesome. I doubled the carrot, celery, and spinach, because i love thick soups and lots of vegetables. Throw on a lot of parmesan and it is “to die for”. Definitely part of my rotation now.

  145. While I pressure cooked a pound of white beans so I could control sodium (1 tsp per cooker directions), I prepped veggies. I used caramelized garlic that I keep in the freezer – when adding it, is dissolves in the pan (so with my quantity, I used 6 cloves, some large). Because I knew I’d be freezing leftovers, I chopped spinach into large pieces and used 4 large handfuls. Then added the juice and zest of 1 lemon because we like the flavor, but I think it also releases nutrients in spinach. I had to add 2 T. more lemon juice to adjust flavor for the quantity. I ended up with 6 pints of soup, 4 pint jars to freeze after using 2 for breakfast because it was so good! Thanks for the easy recipe!

  146. My grocery order is not coming until tomorrow, so I frantically searched for a recipe that could use what I have on hand. I only had one can of white beans, and a can of medley. My daughter loved it so much she took left overs in her lunch for school today. I will definitely serve it again. I had some wraps, so I made little mini quesadilla’s to go with it. I didn’t have spinach so I used kale instead. I just had some of the leftovers for lunch. Yum!

  147. Such a great easy, tasty and hearty dish! Definitely adding this one to my normal rotation of dinners! Added a side of rosemary bread!

  148. I LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it several times this cold quarantine winter, only editing by adding half a jalapeño and potatoes.

  149. Made this today and it was delicious! I added zucchini also, and basil instead of parsley as I needed to use it before it went bad.

    Thanks for the inspo to make so many yummy and healthy dishes Youmna! I’m a big fan of yours ❤️

  150. Are the carbs correct at 60gms per serve? I also added 1/2 zucchini and used 2x cannellini beans, 1x butter beans. Was really tasty 😋

    1. Yes, it is correct! Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.

  151. I will make this soup on Sunday, have everything in my pantry but have to use kale as it is in my fridge, so looking forward it. Thank you.

  152. Bringing this soup to boil now, then to simmer. Will be great w/ the penne dish I’m making later w/ tomatoes , fresh basil, havarti & parmesan & kalamata olives. Yum Thanks for this recipe!

  153. Can you give me information on the soup pot that you use? I only have a 4 quart pot and would like another one a little larger. It has to have handles and lid that can be used without mits and watching your video shows that your pot does not require mits. Thanks!

  154. Fantastic, delicious, and worked perfectly the first time. I used dried beans instead of canned (soaked them 6 hours then cooked them before adding to soup). Perfect creamy texture, and, again, delicious!

  155. This is a delicious change-of-pace soup for us. I used dry beans and followed the directions closely. Next time I may try it with diced tomatoes, but I agree that the flavors don’t need the tomato taste.

  156. Super easy to make. I added 1 sliced zucchini and 1/2 cup of frozen peas to the mix. I would make this again – family loved it.

  157. Delicious soup! I made no modifications in the ingredients, but added a few pulses with my immersion blender to thicken it up just a bit more.

  158. I usually just throw things together to make soup but I needed a vegetarian option for a work potluck. I made this the night before and thought that it was not quite as rich as I would have liked. I doubled the recipe then split it up and added chicken to one half. Because I can’t help myself I also added cumin. I then put it in containers (overnight in my car because it was 10 degrees outside)
    The next day at work I heated them in crockpots and added the spinach. Holy cow! It was fabulous. All the flavors mingled and the broth thickened. Our vegetarian staff loved it and so did the chicken people.

  159. It turned out great on the first try! I did 2 cans of beans only because the pot I used was too small. Thanks for a great recipe, it is now bookmarked.

  160. I have been meaning to make this soup forever and finally did today and it is absolutely delicious! I just eyeballed the measurements and made enough for about 4-5 servings. Adding a squeeze of lemon really brightens it up and I preferred mine with more broth than thickness. Very filling and guiltfree!

  161. All I can say is Yummy !!!use white kidney beans as that is what they had other than that followed exactly ( thank goodness I double it ) oh and served it with bruschetta !

    1. It could be considered part of the Mediterranean diet in that it contains legumes and a variety of vegetables!

  162. Thank you for this recipe! I let it simmer a while so it got really creamy. Didn’t need to add cashew milk. I used 1 pound dry Lima beans. Because I had some that needed to be used, I added chopped red potatoes and fresh chopped tomatoes. I also added cayenne pepper and red chili flakes and stirred in 3 T apple cider vinegar at the end. I think it would also be really good with some diced jalapeño pepper. And if you don’t want vegetarian, some sausage or kielbasa. Again thank you for the inspiration for my “Beans and greens” New Year’s Day meal! Health and Prosperity for all in 2021!

  163. Oh wow made this added potatoes, a mason quart jar of our garden fresh canned tomatoes, three fresh small tomatoes, added a little smidge of sugar, lemon juice twerked it a bit and ING so delicious!!!

  164. This was fantastic – I love to have soup for lunch and am always looking to expand my options. This recipe was simple, delicious, healthy, and hearty. Thank you!

  165. I made this soup for tonight’s dinner & it was delicious. I’m not a fan of Thyme, next time I’ll use a smidge less.
    Thank you for sharing.

  166. Getting ready to make this today. Can I let this simmer all day on the stove? I can’t wait to try it and fill our house with that smell!

    1. I wouldn’t leave it more than an hour to simmer because a lot of that broth my evaporate. I think using a slow cooker would work well though!!

  167. This soup was delicious! My two boys loved it as well. I did add the juice from half a squeezed lemon and it added more depth to the broth. I will definitely make this again. Thank you!

  168. Excellent recipe. I also added tiny bit orzo and a little pearled barley so it becomes a little thicker when it cooks. However, it was still great and did thicken over time!!

  169. Could you use dry beans instead of canned? Also, of you wanted to use dry beans and an instant pot, how would you modify this recipe?

    1. Yes absolutely! Yes, you can use dry beans and I recommend 2 1/4 dried beans. I haven’t made this in an instant pot with dry beans so it might be best to find another IP recipe, but it’s on my list to test it in an instant pot soon!

  170. I love simple soups with good ingredients. I make one similar to this, depending on what is in my pantry. When I make the beans from dried, I do not use any prepared veggie broth. Since I use bay, sage, thyme, and rosemary sprigs to cook the beans, I use that broth and additional water if needed. Sometimes we’ll throw in some lemon juice or zest, or a little preserved lemon at the end. It’s always delicious, always a little different, and so healthy. Your recipe is so flexible and forgiving, I highly recommend this, and it’s perfect as written!

    1. So glad to hear you enjoy the recipe and that you customize it based on what you have on hand! Thanks for sharing!

  171. Fabulous soup- followed the recipe and it was a hit with family and friends! I added the spinach and tomatoes 15 minutes before serving

  172. I love this soup. It is so good and so quick and easy to whip up. I made it 2 weeks ago with navy beans and am making it again today with garbanzo beans that I just cooked. Good stuff.

  173. Hi,
    Just wondering how many quarts of soup this recipe will make!
    Can´t wait to make it, just need to know how much I will need 🙂

  174. I made this soup tonight. I sauteed diced potatoes before adding in the veggies and I also added rosemary, coriander, substituted fennel for celery. Towards the end of cooking, I mashed, with the back of a wooden spoon some of the potatoes and beans to make it creamy. My daughters loved it.

  175. Two more variations that work great for our family. If you have time, slow-cook the onions until they caramelize, deglaze the pan with a little white wine or balsamic vinegar, then continue. Adds a great depth of flavor. (Some marjoram and a bit of rosemary are yummy in this version.) Or add chopped red or green peppers and pizza herbs, (I also used browned veggie Italian sausage,) and float a cheesy crouton on top. The thing is, the proportions in this recipe make it so well balanced, it’s a great springboard for invention and flavor play.

  176. This soup receipe is excellent. I have made this at least six times so far. Sometimes making it vegetarian and sometimes with homemade meat stock. I’ve been using Canellini beans because I love their creamy texture.

    1. Yay! I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing…makes me happy you’ve made it 6 times so far! 🙂

  177. This is my second time making this soup. My husband loves it and he puts graded Parmesan cheese in his. I’m a vegetarian so I like mine as is. I make a wonderful beer bread and it goes very well with this soup. I also give the soup a little more seasoning. It’s a perfect soup. Thank you!

    1. I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing and I’m so glad you’ve already made it twice!

  178. Soup was delicious and flavorful. Per your recommendation, I used the immersion blender to give it some consistency, but still kept some of the chunks of vegetables and beans.

  179. Great transformation of my great northern beans. I usually cook about a pound of dried beans at a time. My beans are not vegan but neither am I. I cook them with a small piece of smoked ham hock.
    This recipe adds some needed veggies and spices.
    A bowl with my WV hillbilly cornbread (self-rising cornmeal, 1 egg and buttermilk 450 degrees) is a perfect lunch.

  180. My daughter is vegan, and wow is she a very strict vegan at that! Aside from her love for animals, which is more like an obsession cause we seem to have had a small zoo since she was a toddler (haha)… she has a great many food allergies. In addition to that, she has Chiari 1 Malformation, and I do all of the main/larger cooking. Where I’m going with all of this is that my daughter absolutely loved this recipe so much, and so did I!! Not only that, I really appreciated how affordable it was to make due to being a single parent, and the medical bills. I’m somewhere in between being vegetarian and pescatarian, and I try and find things we can both eat to save $ and time. Thank you so much for posting such a clean healthy soup recipe 🙂

    1. Aww that makes me so happy to hear! It’s one of those recipes that even non vegans appreciate and I hear that all the time. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. I truly appreciate it!

    1. The parmesan cheese is optional as I mentioned, and it’s just for serving, so its’ not even part of the recipe technically.

    2. My boyfriend and I recently became pescatarian. And this was a GREAT recipe!! I used chick peas and kale instead & boyyyyyy it was BOMB.com!! 🙂🙂

  181. WOW! I’m on my third iteration with this soup and it is stunning how the flavors come together. I have a big herb garden, so all the herbs are fresh that I use (I up the quantity when fresh). It is a very forgiving recipe. The first time I did it exactly as writAmyten (A+), the second time I used beef broth and a bevy of fridge veggies, this time I added a handful of fresh basil, chicken broth, mushrooms and small cherry tomatoes…it seems like everything works! Very versatile!

  182. I make this alot. I’m not vegan so I add a little chicken sausage to the soup and slice a fee grape tomatoes also. I do this soup with escsrole too as well as spinach. Thank you for this great recipe !

  183. I’ve made this soup three times in two months. I love that I can just pull it together with pantry staples and whatever I’ve got in my fridge. I’m cooking it right now.

  184. Delicious and very easy to make! Even the finicky eaters in my fam loved this soup! I really appreciate the options you give for this recipe – I’m new to soup making, and the advice you give takes the fear out of the equation. Thanks!

  185. I made this last night for dinner and my husband and I LOVED it!!! It was so easy to put together. I did add a little zucchini and mushrooms (only because I had them and didn’t want them to go bad), and a few red pepper flakes and a little cashew sauce. My husband told me to add this to our top favorites list! Thank you for sharing!

  186. This is so yummy! I ended up subbing the celery for chopped zucchini because it was what I had on hand. I also added lemon juice and zest. It’s perfect with some Parmesan cheese on top! Very happy with your recipe!

  187. LOVE this soup! My daughter said it’s her new favorite. I added a tad more broth and added a very small amount of ditalini pasta to make it more filling. I can’t get over how easy and fast this is to put together!!!

  188. Make this all the time. Vary it every time. Tonight put in zucchini instead of spinach, herbed with leftover pesto, added leftover macaroni. Often put in tomatoes. Excellent and reliable every time.

  189. We loved it! I only had two cans of navy beans so I substituted with a can of kidney beans. I added kale at the same time as the chicken broth along with a cup of orzo and it was delicious! Some Parmesan and heavy cream made it all the more decadent!

  190. I have trouble following recipes, but I use them as guides to keep tastes from getting out of hand. This is a great basic recipe. I used 2 cups of dried beans soaked overnight, giant red mustard leaves (Chinese Mustard?) from my garden, assorted herbs from the garden, a jalapeño, and a ham shank. Not vegan, but delicious. I put the whole mess into my Mealthy Pot (like an instant pot) and cooked for 25 minutes with natural release. I will surely use this recipe again, with or without the ham shank. Thanks for the recipe.

    1. I love that you found the recipe helpful – perfect for starting and building on it. Thanks so much for sharing!

    2. I added a large can of chopped tomatoes and juice – then approx 1 tbsp sugar to mellow the acidic tomato taste – delicious I will keep this one in my repertoire!

  191. Absolutely delicious! We had some fresh dill, so added it! Enjoying it at this moment for dinner. (Just had seconds!)

  192. Hi, if using dry navy beans to soak overnight instead of canned beans, what amount for the recipe? I have a 2 lb package. Should I use half (1 lb) or whole bag? Thank you.

      1. Yes, that helps! Thank you. I see the cook time is 15 min, but that is for canned beans. How long does it cook for dried soaked beans? I am making this tonight … Can’t wait!

  193. So yummy! Had to use items that I had on-hand, so 1 can cannellini beans, 1 can northern beans, and 1 can butter beans. Also used chicken broth instead.

  194. Excellent recipe! I occasionally add sausage but it’s delicious in its own. I make it often, very filling and satisfying. Thanks!

  195. I work in a hospital in Toronto , Canada I’m a cleaner. They’re starting to open things up in stages here. It’s awful I wear a mask for eight hours. In March you had that white bean soup it was nutrition month here. So since then I follow your recipes. My mom is 92 will 93 in may. She loves that soup. I’m going to make this too. Thank you stay well. I love your recipes and the way you show them on video. It helps a lot when my cooking skills are weak. Thank you!

    1. Aww, I’m so happy to hear you and your mom are enjoying the recipes. Thank you and stay safe as well 🙂

  196. Hi Yumna,
    Great post, the article detailing how to make white bean soup I read and felt your full post. But your content style has inspired me. Thanks for sharing! Keep up the good work.

    Thanks
    Nazmin Sarker

  197. This soup was excellent! I made it for dinner last night, and my husband asked that this be included in our regular meal rotation!

  198. I only have 2 cans of white beans, 1 great northern and 1 cannellini, I also have pinto beans, kidney beans and black beans in the cupboard. Since it’s difficult to get to the store at the moment, would you recommend just cutting back and only using two cans, or supplementing with one of the other options?

    1. Sorry for the late reply, but I would recommend using kidney beans or pinto bean for the third can. Hope you like the recipe 🙂

  199. Made this tonight, delicious!! Added a little more spinach and garlic but otherwise followed the recipe. Tomorrow I will look at some of your other recipes to try. Thanks for posting easy and accessible pantry ingredients recipes in these uncertain times. Best wishes to you.

  200. I started by making my own chicken stock from vegetable scraps that I keep stored in the freezer a ziploc freezer bag. Trust me – you can’t beat the flavor of homemade stock vs. store bought. I also used 2 cans of Great Northern beans and one can of kidney beans and I thickened up the soup with a little corn starch and added extra parmesan cheese. It’s healthy and it hit the spot during this COVID-19 quarantine. Oh and every single ingredient I already had at home – all purchased from my favorite grocery store, ALDI !!

    1. Mmmm, I love that you made your own chicken stock…bet that makes it taste soooo much better!! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Means a lot to me!

  201. I have been cooking, as a hobby/ passion for almost forty years, and have just discovered your wonderful website. We plan to enjoy this wonderful white bean soup tonight, but only have dried white beans available. Can you “translate” the “3 x 15 oz. cans” of beans to “dried”, which I will, of course, cook prior to preparing the soup.
    Many thanks, and Bon Appetit!

    1. Hi there, thank you so much and sorry for the late response! For every 15-ounce can of beans, you can cook 3/4 cup of the dried version. So you’ll need 2 and 1/4 cup of dried beans. I hope that helps

  202. The soup is in the final stage of cooking. It was so easy to prepare and we are looking forward to tasting it after we add the spinach. Also, we cooked extra Beyond Meat “ground meat” last night and will add some chunks of that as well.
    Will let you know how it turns out.

  203. This soup came together easily and was delicious! Thank you! Worked perfectly with pantry staples and the fresh produce I had on hand due to the current Covid-19 quarantine. Didn’t have Parmesan cheese, so we tossed in some shredded mozzarella which melted into the soup.

    1. I just made this in self isolation as well. I had to use chicken stock, as I was out of Veggie stock. Did it in the Crock pot an it is sitting for the day. Thanks for the recipe. Stay healthy, folks.

  204. I tried this today and it is excellent and so healthy! I added a bay leaf, Italian seasoning mix for extra flavor and more water because I like brothy soups. Thank you!

  205. Delicious soup. I made it using the exact recipe, no add ins, and it was delicious. I can see where it would be good with some of the additions people mention in their reviews. Thank you!

    1. Make sure to add the potatoes when the beans go in and it might just need 5-10 minutes more. I recommend chopping them pretty small so they cook faster. Just test them with a fork to be tender. Thank you!

  206. Followed this recipe and it came out absolutely delicious! I want to try to make it again but this time adding mushrooms & zucchini. When would you suggest adding them in during the cooking process?

    1. That’s a great idea! I would sautee the mushrooms with when you add in the garlic so they can release their flavor to the base of the soup. And add the zucchini when you add in the white beans. Thank you for sharing!!

  207. I only had 1.5 cups of veggie broth on hand so I kept veggies same and used one can of beans. Didn’t use garlic because it doesn’t agree with me. And used immersion blender at end. Came out amazing! Thank you!

  208. This was very good and healthy. I added an extra can of beans and squeezed in the juice of a lemon after it was cooked. I used an immersion blender for a few seconds to make a thicker base. Thank you for sharing this recipe

  209. This soup was amazing with homemade veggie broth and bok choy in place of spinach. also used shallot for onion and butter beans so it was really a starting point to inspire me what to do with my broth, thank you! Oh added some cut up poblano too…delish!

  210. So easy and utterly delicious. Added some misc low sodium spice mixes. Like the beans mashed part. Thank you. Love this soup!

  211. Added a little bit of red pepper flake and a few touches of sambal for a good kick. Prefer to make it with kale as it holds up well for leftovers. Simple and good!

  212. This was delish! I added a parmesean rind, can of diced tomatoes and a potato, 2 cans beans. It was soooo good!!!!

  213. Awesome . I tend to follow the recipe exactly the first time , then change it but this was delicious! I only added two 15 oz cans I wish I could add a pic here.
    I had some Italian bread, and a cold Stella . Yum

    1. So glad to hear you liked the recipe!! So good with some Italian bread!! If you have instagram, share the picture there!

      1. We weren’t overly struck with this recipe – my partner made it and it just tasted like vegetable stock with some
        Vegetables in it. I think if we were to cook it again we would add a tin of tomato and some More veggies.

        1. I completely understand. Did you simmer the beans for a while and try to smash them so they make the broth thicker? That usually really helps with the flavor. But I think adding more veggies and tomatoes will help too 🙂

          1. Yes, absolutely!! That will work just fine. Just make sure they are fully cooked before adding to the recipe. Thank you!

  214. This recipe was super easy and delicious! I definitely will be making this again and adding mushrooms. Thank you!

  215. Overall loved it!

    I followed the recipe exactly but found the carrots & celery were too firm at the recommended simmering time, so I added another 15 minutes. That seemed to do it. My experience is that same-type vegetables break down at varying times depending on the batch you get. Also, my palate would reduce salt to a total of 1/2 or 3/4 tsp. That’s me.

    This is now a permanent addition to my healthy easy-to-make list. THANK YOU!

    1. Thank you so much for the feedback! That’s very true about the cook time of the vegetables, and it also depends on their size when you chop them. I’m so glad to hear though that this is making it into your soup rotation! Thank you 🙂

  216. Delicious recipe! I did it in my crockpot with uncooked white beans that I’d soaked overnight. Sauteed the onions a bit first, then put everything except the spinach and parm into the slow cooker and let it go about 9 hours on low. Added the spinach and parm right at the end. This soup has a great combo of flavors!

  217. Made this for dinner and it was easy, simple, and satisfying. I added an extra carrot and celery rib per my preference. Very yummy and will definitely make it again! Thanks.

  218. Great recipe, but for a thicker, heartier soup, try this.
    Boil half the onion, 1 cup sliced mushroom, one can of white beans and garlic in vegetable stock. Once softened, puree them with an immersion blender until thick and creamy. Meanwhile, saute all the other veggies (I added zucchini, string beans and celery leaves) in a large soup pot. Once softened, add the pureed mixture, Then for a little more color and zing, try adding about a half cup of salsa.

    PS… I zip up a lot of italian dishes with salsa.

  219. Loved this soup! Felt so comforting to me and the combination of flavors was superb. Followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for a great addition to our dinner rotation!

  220. What a delicious soup! I gave the recipe to my daughter and she made it first, I couldn’t stop saying how delicious it was! I’m going out this week to buy the ingredients to make!

  221. I like the idea of adding peas. Would you add frozen? And when during the cooking process might you add them?

    1. Yes, I would definitely just use frozen and you can add them in when you add the frozen since they don’t need much cooking. I recommend adding them 2 minutes before you add the spinach.

  222. This looks amazing, but I’m using dried Great Northern beans(2 lbs dried, pre soaked) just wondering how you go about this…I’m thinking I’ll do the onions in the olive oil add the herbs and the veg, broth and Beans as directed and let it cook down. Adding the spinach at the very end. Does this sound right?
    Thanks ?

    1. No unfortunately the soaked dried beans need an hour and half to cook. I recommend cooking them on their own first because otherwise the vegetables will get too soggy.

  223. This was very good. I had a request to make bean soup and this hit the spot. Being from a Caribbean culture I added some cherry tomatoes, a mixture of vegetables called sofrito, and cumin. When I make it again I think I’ll add fresh cilantro. I also didn’t rinse or drain all of the beans. I added 4 cans only draining two of the cans. You mentioned about thickening the soup and the water from the beans can also help thicken it. Thanks so much for sharing!

    1. Oh I love that you added sofrito and cumin to it. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with how you made the recipe!

  224. This soup is so fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly……So so good! I’m making my daughter a big pot today…..Thank you

  225. Delish! Just made it and am loving it.
    I didn’t have three cans of white beans so I used I can of white beans, 1 can of chickpeas and 1 can of black beans. Combination worked well!
    I used kale instead of spinach, added mushrooms, some grape tomatoes I had in the fridge and cilantro. Oh yes, I had some leftover brown rice in the fridge so I tossed that in as well.
    Thanks for this lovely recipe 🙂

  226. Very nice! I’ll serve it for dinner if there’s any left after my “testing”. No spinach on hand, but I did add green beans. It’s a keeper

  227. Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. Means a lot to me 🙂

  228. I had a batch of navy beans soaking and the weather was cool, so I thought soup was in order. I found your recipe and tweaked it to fit low sodium. Still needed a little something so I added a teaspoon of reduced sodium vegemite. We had just returned from a three month trip, so the freezer had been emptied. Usually I would have a stock of my own veggie broth with much higher flavor than the commercial varieties. Next time I will definitely use my own broth. Thanks for the recipe.

    1. So glad you enjoyed the recipe and I agree, nothing like homemade broth! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

  229. Would this soup be good with some cooked ground beef or chicken added to it? I’ve got a husband who isn’t a fan of soup but will be more willing to eat it if there is meat in it.

    1. Yes absolutely! A few people have added ground chicken or ground turkey to it and really enjoyed it! I hope you try it 🙂

  230. I made this today and it is very yummy and beautiful! I added mushrooms as well. Just love this soup! Thanks for the easy recipe! I have lunch for next week! 🙂

  231. Oh my goodness! This is so delicious and easy to make. I made for the first time when we invited guests for dinner. Pretty gutsy trying a new recipe on guests! But it was so good. I froze the leftovers and they came in handy last night for dinner. Severed it with salad and Greek kalamata olive bread warmed up! Yum!! From one Lebanese to another, I love your site and will be using it often. It’s a life saver. Even shared it with my girls and friends. Good job and thank you!

    1. Thank you so much for the thoughtful and sweet review Gayle! That was really gutsy trying a new recipe when you had guests over haha, but I’m so glad it worked out well for you. And so great that you enjoyed the leftovers. Thank you for sharing!!

  232. This Mediterranean Bean Soup was inspired by this recipe. ? I had some butternut squash, yellow squash, kale, and some dried herbs that needed to be used up. I randomly saw this post while bringing up the cran orange recipe. I reckon it was meant to be? 🙂 I omitted the onion (allergic) and sub the spinach for kale. I added the squashes and herbs. The only thing I needed to get was the broth and beans. This is what I did different: I sauteed the kale with garlic and a tad of oil. I added the squashes and carrots. Once that was sizzling, I stirred in some fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage. I also added oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Once those got happy, I poured in the northern beans and veggie broth. I cooked it for about an hour and a half on med-low heat. For a cold rainy day, this was perfect. It was really good and simple to make.

    1. I love the way you describe how you made the soup and the easy substitutions you made! So happy to hear that you enjoyed to on the cold rainy day! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! 🙂

    1. There’s no perfect substitute, but you can try fennel, jicama or water chestnuts. Or you can also leave it out all together or add other vegetables like zucchini. Hope that helps!

  233. So easy to make and delicious. I had to use spinach, no kale at my market (Thanksgiving weekend!). This will be my winter soup this year!

    1. Yay! I’m so glad to hear that! And I actually used spinach in the recipe too, but kale would be awesome if you find it next time! Thanks for leaving feedback 🙂

  234. This was delicious! I added four cans of white beans and extra broth, carrots, and celery to balance. I could have easily added a full 11 oz container of baby spinach. I used about 3/4. It was easy to prepare ahead of time. I made the soup, turned it down to just warm and waited just before serving to stir in the spinach just to wilting. I used the Nutty Parm recipe from Dr. Greger’s How Not to Die cookbook as a topping. Next time I’ll add a bit of crushed red pepper!

  235. Made this today. I live in South Korea so not all the ingredients are readily available and I did do some substitutions. First, I soaked, overnight, about 3 cups of dried Cannellini Beans I grew last year in our garden. Canned beans in Korea typically only include Red Kidney beans. No baby spinach is to be found where I live so I just used regular spinach. I work at a university, with a top notch culinary arts program (I’m not a chef), so I added about 200 grams of chopped ham the students cured themselves (yumm!). Normally I make my own vegetable stock but did not have any on hand, so I substituted a stock I found from Turkey (the nation, not the bird:). Lastly, added a pinch of dried Vietnamese Chili flakes. Most definitely will make this again! Easy, flavorful and healthy. Perfect for a winter’s day.

    1. Wow I love all your substitutes and how you were able to make it work with limited ingredients that I listed. So glad you still tried the recipe and enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

  236. Thank You … it’s easy and great tasting… looking forward to other recipes. My family truly enjoyed this soup

  237. This soup is awesome! I added a little more broth for my needs. And I also like a little kick and added a pinch of Cheyenne! Will make this again and add more vegies.

  238. What do you consider a serving size to be for this recipe given the calories that you calculated? I’m looking forward to making the recipe today!

    Thank you!

    1. For the recipe, I divided it into 6 servings. So one serving would be 1/6 of the pot which is about 2 cups. Hope that helps and hope you like it!

  239. This is the 2nd time I have made it….I used kale instead of spinach…it is soooo flavorful…I love it ….will be making this a lot!

  240. This was SO fabulous & easy! I wasn’t sure about the spinach but it really gave the soup so much life. Thank you for sharing! ?

  241. Can I give you six stars instead??? Yummy and easy to cook. I was surprised with the results since I thought a bean soup wouldn’t have this Amazing flavor! No left overs I added bay leaves and a bit red crushed peppers to my version. People were licking dishes here 🙂

  242. I was short 2 cups of the vegetable broth so I substituted with 2 cups of chicken broth. This added richness and depth of taste- yum!

  243. Made this three times already. Great simple quick recipe. You can make all kinds of adjustments off of this or go as is and it is still satisfying and delicious.

  244. I recently developed gout and had to change my eating habits, so I’ve been scouring Pinterest for recipes. This looked really good. I made mine with kale. This soup is so delicious and satisfying. It will definitely be part of my meal repertoire! Thank you so much!

    1. I’m so glad to hear you found the recipe helpful and delicious! Love that you added kale to it 🙂

  245. Thanks so much for this recipe. I think there are easy ways to lower the sodium (I’m on low sodium diet) and this is so healthy (with gorgeous pics) I can’t wait to get started cooking!

    1. Yup, the soup is all about those white beans. That equals 3 cans of 15 ounces each. You can certainly use only 2 cans. but I would recommend decreasing the broth if you do that. Enjoy!