White Bean Parmesan Soup (Printable)

Creamy white bean and Parmesan soup with tender vegetables, ready in under an hour.

# 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 oz) 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
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:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6–8 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, making weeknight dinners feel less stressful and more nourishing.
  • The creamy texture hides the fact that it's mostly beans and vegetables, so even skeptical eaters find themselves going back for seconds.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, leaving you energy to actually enjoy the meal instead of standing at the sink.
02 -
  • Always drain and rinse your canned beans thoroughly, as the liquid they come in is starchy and can make your soup cloudy and overly thick.
  • If you blend too vigorously or for too long, the soup can become almost paste-like, so start with a gentle blend and add more texture control as you go.
  • Taste the soup before adding salt, because vegetable stock varies wildly in sodium content, and you can always add more but never take it out.
03 -
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the hot soup in batches to a regular blender, filling it only halfway so you don't burn yourself with steam, then return it to the pot.
  • This soup actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to settle, so don't hesitate to make it ahead and reheat it gently before serving.
Return