Herbed White Bean Soup Recipe

By Rebecca Franklin

Updated 08/08/18

Herbed White Bean Soup. Flickr User "thebittenword"
Ratings (4)
  • Total: 3 hrs
  • Prep: 60 mins
  • Cook: 2 hrs
  • Yield: 8 bowls (10 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
190 Calories
1g Fat
34g Carbs
13g Protein
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

White beans sometimes carry the connotation of being boring. I prefer to view them as a delicious, blank culinary canvas, though. For one, I think their creamy texture is nothing short of addictive; it adds a velvety mouth-feel to any dish, without adding any fat. Combine that with the fact that they’re a great source of inexpensive protein and they’re almost impossible to cook wrong. This herbed white bean soup recipe is punched up with classic Provencal spices to delicious effect.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried white beans, sorted and rinsed (Navy, great northern, canellini)
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup chopped country ham
  • 3/4 cup chopped carrots
  • 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 gloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons rubbed sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
  • 1/8 teaspoon (pinch) dried basil
  • 2 small golden potatoes, cooked and mashed (about 2/3 cup)

Steps to Make It

Cover the beans with 1 inch of water and soak them overnight, or bring them to a rapid boil, cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Drain the beans, place them in a large saucepan, and add the chicken stock, water, ham, carrots, onions, and seasonings to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat and allow the soup to cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until the beans are tender. Add the mashed potatoes and simmer the soup for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.

This herbed white bean soup makes 8 to 10 servings.