Creamy Italian White Bean Soup

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This hearty white bean soup is made with creamy cannellini beans and flavored with garlic and thyme. It's one of my family's favorite soups. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 (16 ounce) cans white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, continually stirring.
  2. Stir in beans, chicken broth, pepper, thyme, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Use a slotted spoon to remove 2 cups of bean and vegetable mixture from soup; set aside.
  4. Blend remaining soup in small batches in a blender at low speed until smooth — it helps to remove the center piece of the blender lid to allow steam to escape.
  5. Pour blended soup back into pot; stir in reserved beans.
  6. Bring soup to a boil, occasionally stirring. Stir in spinach and until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
  7. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
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