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Bowl of creamy white bean soup with spinach and whole cannellini beans

White Bean Soup with Spinach (One-Pot & Creamy)

A creamy, one-pot white bean soup made with canned beans and fresh spinach. Partially blending the beans gives it a creamy texture without heavy cream, while the rest stay whole for body. Finished with lemon and ready in about 35 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cans 15 oz each white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth plus more as needed
  • 5 oz fresh baby spinach or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional: grated Parmesan omit for vegan, red pepper flakes

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt for 6-7 minutes, until softened but not browned.
  2. Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaf for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
  3. Add the rinsed and drained beans and the broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the beans are tender and mashable.
  4. Remove the bay leaf. Partially blend with an immersion blender, or mash about 1½-2 cups of the beans with a potato masher. Add broth to thin, or mash more to thicken.
  5. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, until wilted.
  6. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, adding lemon gradually until the flavor tastes bright.

Notes

Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3-4 days. Freeze in portions and thaw in the refrigerator. Add broth when reheating and reheat leftovers to 165°F.