Creamy White Bean Soup (Printable)

Velvety soup blending white beans, smoky bacon, and fragrant rosemary for a warming meal.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 5 oz thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Beans

06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
14 - Fresh chopped parsley, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
02 - Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the bacon fat. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the drained beans, broth, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until creamy and velvety. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a standard blender and blend carefully, then return to the pot.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and most of the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish. Simmer for 5 additional minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with reserved bacon, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you fussed for hours when it's really just 55 minutes from start to cozy bowl.
  • The bacon fat does the heavy lifting—no need for extra oil or butter to build flavor.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup on nights when you need warmth and ease.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned beans—that starchy liquid will make your soup gluey and dull instead of silky.
  • An immersion blender gives you more control over the texture than a regular blender, so if you have one, use it; you want the soup creamy but not completely pureed into submission.
03 -
  • Buy bacon that's visibly thick and meaty, not the thin-cut stuff that turns into paper—you need enough fat and substance to make a difference.
  • Taste the soup before you add salt; the bacon and broth already bring saltiness, and you'd rather undersalt and adjust than oversalt and be stuck with it.
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