Craving a meal that’s both comforting and incredibly nourishing? This high protein white bean soup is your answer. It’s a creamy, flavorful, and hearty dish packed with plant-based power to keep you full and satisfied. Forget bland and boring soups; this recipe delivers a rich, savory experience that’s surprisingly easy to make on a busy weeknight. Get ready to cozy up with a bowl of pure goodness.
Why You’ll Love This High Protein White Bean Soup
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s a nutritional powerhouse designed to be as delicious as it is beneficial. It’s the perfect meal for anyone looking to increase their protein intake without sacrificing flavor or comfort.
Incredibly Hearty: Packed with cannellini beans and savory vegetables, this soup eats like a meal.
Quick & Easy: You can have this delicious soup on the table in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners.
Meal-Prep Friendly: It tastes even better the next day! Make a big batch for healthy lunches all week long. If you love meal prepping, you might also enjoy this Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Bake.
Budget-Friendly: Made with simple, inexpensive pantry staples, this soup is as easy on your wallet as it is on your schedule.
Ready for a cozy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe relies on simple, wholesome ingredients to create its signature creamy texture and savory flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
Olive Oil: For sautéeing the vegetables and building a flavor base.
Yellow Onion, Carrots, and Celery: The classic “mirepoix” that creates an aromatic foundation.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds a pungent, savory depth.
Dried Herbs: A blend of thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf for a rustic, earthy aroma.
Cannellini Beans: Two cans of these white kidney beans are the star. They are naturally creamy and packed with protein.
Vegetable Broth: Use a high-quality, low-sodium broth to control the saltiness.
Full-Fat Coconut Milk: The secret to a luxuriously creamy soup without any dairy.
Lemon Juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens up all the flavors.
Salt and Black Pepper: To taste.
Optional Protein Boost: Cooked shredded chicken or crumbled Italian sausage can be added for even more protein.
How to Make High Protein White Bean Soup Step-by-Step
Making this creamy white bean soup is a straightforward process. Follow these simple steps for a perfect result every time.
Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and rosemary and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Simmer the Soup: Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and the bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Create the Creaminess: Remove the bay leaf. Carefully transfer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then pour the puréed mixture back into the pot. This technique thickens the soup and creates a creamy texture without heavy cream.
Finish and Season: Stir in the coconut milk and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Look at that rich and creamy texture!
Tips for the Best Creamy White Bean Soup
Want to elevate your soup from great to absolutely unforgettable? Here are a few expert tips.
Don’t Skip the Blend: Blending a portion of the soup is the key to achieving that perfect creamy consistency while keeping some beans whole for texture.
Use Quality Broth: The flavor of your broth makes a huge difference. Use a good quality vegetable or chicken broth for the best taste.
Fresh Herbs for Garnish: A sprinkle of fresh parsley or thyme before serving adds a burst of freshness and color.
Toast Your Spices: For a deeper flavor, you can toast the dried thyme and rosemary in the pot for about 30 seconds before adding the vegetables.
Variations and Add-Ins
This high protein white bean soup is fantastic as is, but it’s also a great canvas for customization. Try some of these delicious variations.
Add Leafy Greens: Stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach or kale at the end of cooking and let it wilt into the soup for extra nutrients.
Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a gentle kick of heat.
Extra Protein: For a non-vegetarian version, stir in cooked shredded chicken, turkey, or crumbled Italian sausage during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
What to Serve with Your Soup
A great soup deserves a great sidekick. This hearty soup is a meal in itself, but it pairs wonderfully with a few simple additions to round out the dinner table.
Crusty Bread: Perfect for dipping! A warm baguette or a few of these 30-Minute Dinner Rolls are fantastic choices.
A Simple Salad: A light green salad with a lemon vinaigrette complements the richness of the soup perfectly.
Garlic Bread: Because everything is better with garlic bread.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
This soup is perfect for making ahead. Follow these simple storage tips to enjoy it later.
Refrigeration: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Freezing: This soup freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of broth to reach your desired consistency.
This recipe is already vegan! It uses vegetable broth and coconut milk to achieve its creamy texture without any dairy or animal products. Just ensure your vegetable broth is certified vegan.
Cannellini beans (or white kidney beans) are fantastic because they hold their shape well but also break down beautifully to create a creamy texture. Navy beans or Great Northern beans are also excellent substitutes.
Absolutely! Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic on the stove first, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the beans, broth, and herbs and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Blend a portion and add the coconut milk and lemon juice at the end.
The best way to thicken this soup is by blending about 2 cups of it until smooth and then stirring it back into the pot. The starches from the beans act as a natural, creamy thickener without the need for flour or cornstarch.
The flavor comes from building layers, starting with a classic mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery) and garlic. Dried herbs like thyme and rosemary add earthy notes, and a splash of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens everything up.
More Cozy Soup Recipes to Try
If you loved this recipe, you’re sure to enjoy some of our other comforting soup creations!
We hope you love this high protein white bean soup as much as we do! If you make it, please leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out. Don’t forget to save this recipe to your favorite board on Pinterest!
This creamy, high-protein white bean soup is the ultimate comfort food.
High Protein White Bean Soup Recipe
FL Recipes
High Protein White Bean Soup (Easy & Creamy Recipe)
A creamy, hearty, and easy-to-make high protein white bean soup. This vegetarian recipe is packed with flavor and plant-based protein, making it a perfect healthy weeknight dinner.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and rosemary and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and the bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Remove the bay leaf. Carefully transfer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then pour the puréed mixture back into the pot.
Stir in the coconut milk and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcalProtein: 14gFat: 12gFiber: 10g
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing: This soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently. Protein Boost: For a non-vegetarian option, add 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken or crumbled sausage along with the coconut milk.
Keyword cannellini bean soup,creamy white bean soup,high protein white bean soup
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
