Are you looking for the ultimate cozy and comforting meal in a bowl? A soup that is unbelievably creamy without a single drop of cream, packed with wholesome, budget-friendly ingredients, and absolutely bursting with a rich, smoky, and savory flavor? This incredible, one-pot Creamy White Bean Soup is that perfect dish. It’s a rustic, soul-warming, and completely satisfying vegan classic that will become your new go-to for chilly nights.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s your definitive guide to the most flavorful white bean soup you’ve ever made. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to building a deep, aromatic flavor base, and the brilliant, healthy trick to creating an impossibly creamy and velvety texture using the beans themselves. This is a one-pot wonder that is as nourishing as it is delicious.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy & Creamy Soup
What makes this White Bean Soup truly “the best” is its incredible, deep flavor and its wonderfully thick and creamy texture. The secret to its luscious body lies in a simple but brilliant technique of blending a portion of the soup after it has simmered. This creates a rich, velvety base while still leaving plenty of hearty, whole white beans for a fantastic texture. The flavor is a masterpiece of simple, pantry-friendly ingredients: a classic soffritto of onion, carrots, and celery builds a sweet, aromatic foundation, while smoky poblano peppers and a warm spice blend add a deep, complex, and savory heat. Finished with a bright splash of fresh lime, it’s a perfectly balanced and completely unforgettable meal.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 1 hour |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Flavor-Packed Soup
This iconic dish uses a handful of simple, wholesome ingredients to create its signature rich and savory flavor.
- The White Beans (The Creamy Stars!):
- Canned White Beans: Using canned white beans (such as cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans) is a fantastic, convenient, and incredibly nutritious shortcut. They are packed with plant-based protein and fiber and have a wonderful, creamy texture.
- The Blending Technique: This is the brilliant, healthy secret to a creamy soup without any dairy! We purée half of the cooked beans with some of the broth to create a thick, luscious, and velvety soup base that is naturally creamy.
- The Peppers: A classic, Southwestern flavor profile.
- Poblano Pepper: This is a very mild chile pepper with a wonderful, rich, and earthy flavor that becomes slightly smoky when cooked.
- Canned Chopped Green Chiles: A fantastic pantry staple, these mild chiles add a wonderful, bright, tangy, and slightly fruity flavor to the soup.
- The Flavor Base (Soffritto & Spices):
- The Soffritto: A classic flavor foundation of finely chopped onion, carrots, and celery is gently sautéed in olive oil to create a deep, sweet, and aromatic base for the entire soup.
- The Spices: A classic, warm, and perfectly balanced Southwestern-inspired spice blend of earthy ground cumin, citrusy ground coriander, and a mild chili powder.
- The Fresh Finish: A final squeeze of fresh lime juice is crucial for adding a burst of bright, zesty acidity that cuts through the richness and makes all the other savory flavors “pop.”
Step-by-Step to the Best White Bean Soup
This delicious, one-pot soup is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Build the Flavor Base
Step 1: First, prepare your creamy base. In a blender, combine half of your rinsed and drained white beans (about 2 1/4 cups) and 3/4 cup of the vegetable broth. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Set this purée aside.
Step 2: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the 1 diced medium yellow onion, the 2 diced celery ribs, the 1 diced medium carrot, the 1 1/4 teaspoons of sea salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
Step 3: Stir in the 1 diced poblano pepper and the 1 can of diced green chiles. Continue to cook for another 4-6 minutes until the peppers are tender.
Step 4 (Bloom the Spices): Add the 4 chopped garlic cloves, the 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin, the 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and the 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds, until the spices are very fragrant.
Step 2: Simmer to Perfection
Step 1: Add the remaining 3 1/4 cups of vegetable broth and the remaining 2 1/4 cups of whole white beans to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer and let it cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes to allow all the delicious flavors to meld together.
Step 2 (The Creamy Step!): Add your prepared bean purée to the pot and stir it in. Let the soup continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 20 more minutes. This will allow the soup to thicken beautifully.
Step 3: Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice. Give the soup a final taste and season with any more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, ladle the hot, hearty soup into warm bowls and top with your favorite garnishes.
The Best Creamy White Bean Soup (Easy Vegan Recipe!)
A hearty and creamy vegan white bean soup with Southwestern flavors. This one-pot recipe achieves its rich texture by pureeing half of the white beans with vegetable broth, which is then stirred back into the soup. The flavor base is built by sautéing onion and poblano pepper with aromatic spices like cumin and coriander, and canned green chiles add a mild heat. The soup is finished with a bright splash of fresh lime juice and can be served with a variety of fresh toppings.
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups cooked white beans (from 3 14-ounce cans), drained and rinsed, divided
- 4 cups vegetable broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For Topping (optional):
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers
- Diced avocado
- Sliced scallions
Instructions
- In a blender, combine half of the white beans (2 ¼ cups) with ¾ cup of the vegetable broth. Blend until smooth and set the puree aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano pepper, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
- Stir in the green chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the remaining 3 ¼ cups of broth and the remaining 2 ¼ cups of whole white beans to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the reserved bean puree and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 20 more minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the soup to thicken.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh lime juice.
- Season to taste with more salt and pepper, and serve warm with your desired toppings and lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
- The key to this soup’s creamy texture is pureeing half of the beans with broth, which thickens it naturally without any dairy.
- ‘Blooming’ the spices by toasting them in the hot pot for about 30 seconds before adding the liquids is a key step that brings out their deep, aromatic flavors.
- This soup is a great one-pot meal that is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
The Ultimate Toppings Bar for Your Soup
A hearty bowl of soup is the perfect canvas for all sorts of delicious toppings! Set out a variety of small bowls so everyone can customize their own perfect bowl.
- Creamy & Cooling: A large dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (or a dairy-free sour cream), fresh, diced avocado.
- Salty & Tangy: A sprinkle of salty, crumbled cotija or feta cheese and some bright, tangy pickled red onions.
- Crunchy: A handful of crushed tortilla chips or some toasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
- Fresh & Spicy: A sprinkle of fresh, chopped cilantro, some thinly sliced serrano or jalapeño peppers, and some extra lime wedges for squeezing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A hearty soup like this one is the perfect make-ahead meal, as the flavors actually become even deeper and more delicious on the second day!
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire soup a day or two in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: This soup freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Smoky, Savory Meat: For a hearty, non-vegetarian version, you can brown about 1/2 pound of crumbled chorizo or some crispy, diced bacon in the pot before you add the onion. You could also stir in some shredded rotisserie chicken at the end.
- Add Some Leafy Greens: For an extra boost of nutrients and a beautiful pop of color, you can stir in about 4 to 5 cups of fresh baby spinach or chopped kale during the last 5 minutes of the simmering time, until it has wilted.
- Add a Hearty Grain: For an even more substantial soup, you can stir in about 1 cup of your favorite cooked grain, like quinoa or brown rice, at the very end.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Soup!
You’ve just created a truly special soup that is a perfect harmony of hearty, wholesome, and delicious flavors. This classic White Bean Soup is a testament to the power of a simple, one-pot meal to bring comfort and joy. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying dish that is sure to become a new family favorite for all the chilly days of the year.
We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, hearty soup!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute secret to a creamy bean soup without using any cream?
The secret is the brilliant and healthy technique of blending about half of the cooked soup! By puréeing half of the beans and the broth, you are creating a thick, velvety, and all-natural thickener that gives the entire pot of soup an incredibly creamy body and a luscious texture, while still leaving plenty of whole beans for a hearty bite.
Q2: Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes, this is an absolutely perfect make-ahead soup! The flavors will actually be even better on the second or third day after they have had time to meld. Simply let the soup cool completely, store it in the refrigerator, and then gently reheat it on the stovetop.
Q3: What is a poblano pepper, and is it very spicy?
A poblano pepper is a very popular chile pepper in Mexican cuisine. It is a dark, rich green color and has a wonderful, deep, and slightly smoky flavor. It is very mild in terms of heat, especially after the seeds and the ribs have been removed. It is much milder than a jalapeño and adds a fantastic, savory flavor to the soup.
Q4: Can I use dry white beans instead of canned for this recipe?
You can, but you will need to plan ahead. You will need to soak about 2 cups of dry white beans overnight. Drain them and then add them to the pot along with the broth. You will need to add an extra 3-4 cups of water or broth and increase the simmering time significantly (to about 1 1/2 to 2 hours) to ensure that the dry beans are completely tender before you proceed with the blending step.
Q5: Is this soup vegan?
Yes! As written, this soup is completely vegan and plant-based. To keep the entire meal vegan, simply be sure to use vegan toppings, like a dairy-free sour cream, and omit the optional cheese.