Cozy & Creamy White Bean Soup Recipe
This creamy white bean soup is both nourishing and uplifting—it’s the ultimate comfort food. It’s an easy recipe that uses canned beans, making it a quick weeknight meal, but it gets its magic from a simple spice mix and a swirl of sour cream. Best of all, it comes together in just about thirty minutes.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Spices
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or light brown sugar
Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 cups (1 quart) low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans (such as cannellini and/or navy beans)
- ½ cup sour cream (full fat), plus more for serving
- 3-4 cups baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce (preferably Cholula), plus more for serving
For Serving (optional)
- Cooked rice
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Sliced scallions
Instructions
Measure out the spices
- Measure out the spices and set aside (this will make things easier later, so you won’t have to scramble at the stove) .
Make the soup
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the measured spices, and cook until they start to sizzle.
- Pour in the broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the beans, and season the soup with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
- Whisk in the sour cream until smooth (it’s okay if it still looks a touch grainy at first), then add the baby spinach. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted. Remove the pot from the heat and add the lime juice and hot sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed—you’ll likely need more salt than you think you need, especially if you used unsalted beans, so be generous.
Finish and serve
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls. If you’d like, spoon a scoop of rice over top and dollop with a bit more sour cream. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and sliced scallions. Serve with more hot sauce for drizzling.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, omit the sour cream or substitute with a dairy-free alternative.
- For a thicker soup, blend a portion of the soup with an immersion blender before adding the spinach.
- Ingredient swaps: Substitute the spinach with coarsely chopped kale or other leafy greens of your choice.
- Serve with this gluten-free cornbread or your favorite crusty bread.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat and serve with desired toppings. You can also store it in individual containers for easy meal prep lunches or dinner.
- To freeze, let the soup cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze the soup without the sour cream for best results, then add it in once reheated. This prevents any separation in the creamy texture.
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