White Bean and Parmesan Soup (Print Version)

Creamy cannellini beans blended with aromatic vegetables and rich Parmesan for ultimate comfort in a bowl.

# What You 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 Steps:

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 minced 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, or transfer in batches to a blender.
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 Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means dinner can happen on nights when you need it most.
  • One pot means one cleanup, and that alone is worth the recipe staying in rotation.
  • The Parmesan transforms it from plain to something that tastes like you've been cooking all day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the draining and rinsing of canned beans because the liquid they pack in can make your soup taste tinny and starchy.
  • If you're using an immersion blender, a light hand matters more than you'd think because over-blending can make beans release too much starch and turn the soup gluey.
  • The soup will thicken as it cools, so if you're worried about consistency, it's better to finish it on the looser side.
03 -
  • Toast your Parmesan rind in the soup while it simmers if you have one, then remove it before blending for a deeper, more complex flavor.
  • The difference between good and great comes down to using freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-grated stuff, which contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
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