Herbed White Bean Soup Recipe

By Rebecca Franklin

Updated 12/16/18

Herbed White Bean Soup. Flickr User "thebittenword"
  • 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
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 bowls (10 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 190
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 238mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 9g 34%
Protein 13g
Calcium 100mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(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

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.