Description
Creamy white bean and rosemary soup invites home cooks to savor Mediterranean comfort with simple, hearty ingredients. Fragrant rosemary and tender beans meld into a luxurious, nourishing meal perfect for warming winter evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for non-vegan)
- 2 (15 oz / 425 g) cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried rosemary)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup chopped parsley (for garnish)
- Juice of ½ lemon (optional, for brightness)
Instructions
- Aromatic Foundation: Sauté diced onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil over medium heat until softened. Incorporate minced garlic and finely chopped rosemary, allowing their essence to permeate the base and create a robust flavor profile.
- Liquid Integration: Add vegetable broth, white beans, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Bring to a vigorous boil, then reduce heat and let the mixture simmer, allowing ingredients to harmonize and develop depth for 15-20 minutes.
- Texture Transformation: Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, achieving a velvety, creamy consistency. If using a standard blender, carefully transfer half the soup, process until smooth, then reincorporate with the remaining liquid.
- Flavor Refinement: Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning with precision. Introduce a splash of lemon juice to brighten and elevate the soup’s complex flavor profile.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle the soup into warm bowls, garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve alongside rustic crusty bread or crisp crackers for a complete, satisfying culinary experience.
Notes
- Choose Fresh Herbs: Select vibrant, fragrant rosemary sprigs for maximum flavor intensity and aroma.
- Control Blending Texture: Partially blend the soup to maintain some bean chunks, creating a rustic, hearty consistency that keeps interesting mouthfeel.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Add a small Parmesan rind during simmering to introduce rich, umami undertones without extra complexity.
- Adapt for Dietary Needs: Swap vegetable broth with low-sodium options or use water for gluten-free, low-salt variations that still deliver robust taste profiles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg