White Bean and Parmesan Soup (Printable)

Creamy white bean soup with aromatic vegetables and rich Parmesan cheese for a comforting, savory meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Beans & Liquid

06 - 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 4 cups vegetable stock
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Dairy & Seasoning

09 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Garnish

14 - Chopped fresh parsley

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the drained beans, vegetable stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy.
06 - Stir in the Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Heat gently until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in less than an hour, which means you can have something restaurant-quality on the table during a weeknight without the stress.
  • The beans break down into a velvety base while still keeping their gentle flavor, letting the Parmesan shine without overwhelming.
  • You can make a double batch and freeze it, which feels like giving your future self a warm hug on a busy day.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans, because the cloudy liquid they come in will make your soup look murky instead of velvety and refined.
  • Blend in stages if you're nervous about the soup splattering, and never fill a blender more than halfway because hot liquid needs room to expand as it moves.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender instead of transferring to a countertop blender, because the cleanup is easier and the soup stays hot throughout.
  • If you find the soup too thick, thin it with vegetable stock rather than water so you don't dilute the flavor you've built so carefully.
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