White Bean and Parmesan Soup (Printable Version)

A smooth, creamy blend of tender white beans, savory vegetables, and rich Parmesan cheese for a comforting Italian-inspired meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Beans & Liquid

06 - 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 4 cups vegetable stock
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Dairy & Seasoning

09 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Garnish

14 - Chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the drained beans, vegetable stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy.
06 - Stir in the Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Heat gently until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
  • One spoon of this and you'll understand why Italians built entire meals around white beans and cheese.
  • The immersion blender does the heavy lifting, turning humble ingredients into silky luxury.
02 -
  • The difference between good and mediocre is rinsing those canned beans properly, which removes the starch that otherwise clouds your beautiful broth.
  • If you blend it too hard, it becomes baby food; if you don't blend it enough, you get a chunky disappointment, so aim for creamy with some slight texture.
  • Parmesan melts beautifully only if the soup is hot but not violently boiling, so watch your heat and stir constantly when adding the cheese.
03 -
  • If your soup breaks when you add the cream, it means the heat was too high, so know that this is fixable by letting it cool slightly and whisking in the cream slowly.
  • Using freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-grated stuff is the single most important technical decision you'll make in this recipe.
  • This soup freezes beautifully for up to three months, so make a double batch and thank yourself later during a busy week.
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