White Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Garlic

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My easy Tomato Cannellini Bean Soup recipe transforms simple pantry staples like canned white beans and tomatoes, bouillon cubes, and dried spices into a deliciously complex meal with a surprising depth of taste. This white bean and tomato soup is delightfully creamy, highly customizable, and incredibly simple to make. In other words, it’s the perfect comfort food to keep you warm and cozy all season long!

About this white bean and tomato soup

Aside from looking pretty as a picture, this tomato and cannellini bean soup is:

• Ready in Well Under an Hour – When the sun sets at 4:30, it’s hard to feel like cooking after the workday is over. Having super simple, nutritious recipes like this veggie-packed white bean soup with tomatoes is my favorite strategy for keeping true to my cooking and wellness goals without burning out. All you need is 10 minutes of prep time, a quick 30-minute simmer, and BOOM! Dinner is served, with leftovers to boot. 😉
• Made With Primarily Pantry Items – We’ve all been there: the fridge is mostly empty, you’re hungry, and you just can’t with a store run. This tomato and white bean soup is the perfect solution! Most of the ingredients are shelf-stable, and the ones that aren’t are basic, long-lasting staples!
• Allergen-Friendly – This naturally nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free tomato white bean soup is already pretty inclusive. I’ve included instructions to make it vegan so even more folks can benefit from its deliciousness.
• Easily Customizable – Add that bunch of greens that’s been languishing in your crisper drawer, toss in your parmesan cheese rind to get the most umami bang for your buck, swap in the beans of your choice, and have a blast garnishing it to your heart’s content! For more ideas, read on. 

Ingredients in tomato cannellini bean soup

The bulk of what you need for this tomato soup with white beans is probably already in your kitchen. Here’s what to grab:

• Olive Oil – For sautéing.
• Carrots – For sweetness and bulk. Feel free to use any color of carrots, or swap in parsnips.
• Shallots – Consider these allium beauties as onions-lite. You’re welcome to use yellow or red onions instead.
• Garlic – You’ll need to peel and mince the cloves. In a pinch, use the stuff in a jar, frozen garlic paste, or swap in ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove.
• Italian Seasoning – Made with a blend of oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram, this one bottle unlocks a world of flavor. Feel free to mix your own.
• Dried Thyme – While Italian Seasoning already has a bit, I love the citrusy, peppery, woodsy flavor of thyme enough to add more. If you have fresh, use 3x as much.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – For a touch of warmth, though you can add more if you like it hot.
• Tomato Paste – For concentrated tomato flavor. I suggest buying the kind in a tube for easier storage.
• Canned Small White Beans – Cannellini or Great Northern beans are perfect.
• Canned Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – This little pantry powerhouse is one of my favorites. Regular diced tomatoes can be used, though you’ll lose out on some of the complexity.
• Chicken Bouillon – I love bouillon, and I don’t care who knows it! It takes up virtually no space and delivers big flavor. Feel free to swap in vegetable broth or chicken broth.
• Dry Bay Leaf – It’s crazy how much one leaf can change a pot of soup. If you don’t have it, omit it. But then go buy a bottle next time you’re at the store, mm-kay?
• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper – For seasoning.

Recipe variations

While there’s a lot to love about this white bean tomato soup, its versatility has to be near the top of the list. Here are a few ways to put your own stamp on it:

• Parmesan Rind – If you take my advice and always grate your own cheese, you’ll eventually be confronted with leftover rinds. DON’T YOU DARE TOSS THEM! They’re filled with delectable flavor, even if there’s no melty cheese left. Toss one in your tomato bean soup as it simmers or your next pot of marinara sauce — you’ll be glad you did.
• Optional Garnishes:
  • Heavy Cream – A little drizzle of the good stuff adds a luscious mouthfeel. Better yet, the stark white against the colorful backdrop looks gorgeous!
  • Parmesan Cheese – Get closer to having a rind to simmer by topping your bowl of cannellini bean and tomato soup with a generous dusting of freshly shredded cheese.
  • Fresh Herbs – While any are a nice touch, Italian parsley or fresh basil are my favorites. But, fresh rosemary works too!
  • Pesto – Kill two yummy birds with one stone; pesto has both parmesan and fresh herbs. I love to stir a little bit of this sun dried tomato pesto sauce recipe into this soup. Chef’s kiss – yum.
  • Croutons – For a bit of texture and crunch. Also, an excellent way to use up stale bread!
  • Lemon Wedges – A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds acidity and brightness that’s lovely.  
• Optional Add-Ins:
  • Leafy Greens – Chopped fresh or frozen spinach, kale, or chard add bulk and a hefty dose of nutrients. 
  • White Balsamic Vinegar – If you don’t have fresh lemons, white balsamic is a better solution than bottled lemon juice. It adds a subtle acidity that’s fantastic in this tomato soup with beans.

How to make white bean soup with tomatoes

This Italian white bean and tomato soup is easier than pie to prepare. Here’s how:

1. Sauté Veggies: Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan or large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the carrots and sauté, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Adjust the burner to medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft.
2. Add Aromatics and then Tomato Paste: Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Then, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until the tomato paste is caramelized.
3. Deglaze with the Bouillon Water or Stock: Increase heat to medium and deglaze the pan with the bouillon water, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the White Beans, Tomatoes, Bay Leaf, and Rind: Next, add both cans of white beans along with their liquid, fire-roasted tomatoes, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind, if using. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.
5. Cook Soup: Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Then, cover the pot of soup and let the soup gently simmer for 10 minutes. Next, uncover the soup and give it a good stir. Let the soup continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Add Cream and Parmesan: Next, use tongs to remove and discard the bay leaf and parmesan cheese rind. Then, stir the heavy cream and grated parmesan into the soup, if using. Taste the cannellini bean tomato soup and adjust for taste, stirring in the baby spinach if using, adding fresh herbs for freshness, white balsamic or lemon juice for acidity, cream for richness, and salt and pepper for overall flavor.
7. Garnish and Serve Soup: Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with fresh herbs, croutons, a dollop of pesto and a sprinkle of grated parmesan, if using. Serve with garlic bread, Italian salad, or grains on the side and enjoy!

Expert tips for the best tomato soup with white beans

• Don’t drain or rinse your beans! The liquid they are packed in is chock-full of starchy goodness, which adds a lovely body to the broth. 
• Scale as needed – I sometimes like to double the recipe and freeze half so Future Me gets a cooking break.
• Tinker – One of my favorite things about making soups is, you don’t have to be super precise! Feel free to use this as an opportunity to experiment with different add-ins and ingredient ratios to create your own iteration of this recipe with white beans and tomatoes. Then, don’t forget to snap a pic and share it with me on social media so I can cheer you on!

FAQs: frequently asked questions

What kind of white bean is best for soup?

I personally prefer using small white beans like cannellini or great Northern beans, as they leave enough room on the spoon for all the other soup goodies. That said, feel free to swap in the white beans you have on hand!

Is white bean soup healthy?

I went to school for cooking, not medicine. If you need help determining if a recipe is good for you, talk to a pro! That said, this tomato soup with cannellini beans is filled to the brim with nutritious ingredients like vegetables and beans, so you’re getting a good dose of vitamins, minerals, and fiber in every bite.

Can you use canned beans in soup? 

Absolutely! In fact, that’s the way to get this stunner of a meal on the table in just 40 minutes.

Why does bean soup make me gassy?

Beans have a chemical known as phytic acid, which can cause the, err, more musical qualities of beans. While there are a few ways to help reduce the phytic acid in your bowl (e.g. soaking dried beans before cooking, draining and rinsing off the bean cooking liquid, etc), I’ve found that Bean-o does a fine job of keeping the effects to a minimum. 

Aside from that, all the fiber in the beans and veggies can also cause some folks to experience some gastrointestinal discomfort. The more regularly most folks eat fiber, the less fiber seems to cause gas and bloat. That said, if you’re dealing with a GI illness like Crohn’s or IBS, beans may always antagonize you. It’s best to consult with your GP if that’s the case, and they should be able to help outline a diet that will work for you. 

Serving white beans tomato soup

My tomato and bean soup recipe is hearty enough to stand on its own. It also plays nicely with others! Some of my favorite accompaniments include:

• Bread – Roasted garlic garlic bread, fluffy dinner rolls, or any kind of crusty bread is always welcome for sopping up every last drop of soup. But buttery garlic bread makes any meal feel special.
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Crispy cheese sandwiches make the perfect dipper for this Italian cannellini bean and tomato soup.
• Italian Chopped Salad – Plan an Italian-themed dinner replete with an antipasti salad. Feeling romantic? Light a candle, pour a big glass of Chianti, and pretend our dinner table is in an Italian trattoria. That’s amore! 
• Cooked Grains – Add some fibrous bulk to your soup with your favorite grains (e.g. farro or barley). If you cook them in the broth, it’ll end up more like a thick white bean tomato stew. YUM!

Storing cannellini bean and tomato soup

• This white bean and tomato soup is ideal for meal prep. As with most soups and stews, it benefits from a day or so of rest in the fridge for the flavors to develop.
• Store it in (pre-portioned) airtight containers in the fridge for up to a week. 
• You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure to leave enough headroom in your freezer-safe container to allow the broth to expand.
• When you’re ready to serve, you can heat on the stovetop, microwave, or even in a slow cooker until warmed through. Enjoy round 2!

And there you have it, soup-er heroes! With just a swirl of your spoon and 10 minutes of prep, you’ve turned humble pantry items into a ‘bean-anza’ of flavor. Until next thyme, turn your kitchen into a haven of ‘can’-do culinary delights and keep ladling out the love one bowl at a time!

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Related recipes!

If you love this garlicky, slightly creamy, perfectly flavorful white beans or tomato soup recipes, try these fan favorites next:

• Homemade Tomato Soup with Basil
• White Bean Tuscan Soup
• Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Garlic

The best tomato cannellini bean and tomato soup recipe 👇

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