Creamy White Bean Soup (Print version)

A comforting blend of white beans, smoky bacon, and rosemary, perfect for warming up chilly days.

# Required ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 5 oz thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Beans

06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
08 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Extra olive oil, for drizzling
14 - Fresh chopped parsley, optional

# How to make it:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
02 - Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with remaining bacon fat. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the drained beans, broth, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove rosemary sprigs and bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until creamy. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a standard blender and blend carefully, then return to the pot.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and most of the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish. Simmer for 5 additional minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with reserved bacon, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bacon fat is your secret weapon—it carries flavor into every spoonful and makes this taste way more sophisticated than the ingredient list suggests.
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means you can go from "what's for dinner?" to steaming bowls without stress.
  • Blending some of the beans while leaving chunks creates that perfect creamy-yet-textured mouthfeel that feels restaurant-quality.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starchy liquid turns your beautiful soup into wallpaper paste if you don't wash it away first.
  • Blend it until creamy but not completely smooth; pockets of whole beans are what separate this from something that tastes like baby food.
  • Add the cream at the very end and off heat if you're nervous—it won't break if the soup is already warm, but rushing this step can cause it to split.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze the extra—this soup keeps for three months and reheats beautifully, making future you feel incredibly organized.
  • If the soup thickens too much in the refrigerator, thin it with a splash of broth or cream when you reheat it; bean soups get progressively thicker as they sit.
Return