White Bean and Parmesan (Print out)

Creamy white bean soup with tender vegetables, finished with rich Parmesan for comforting flavor.

# 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 for garnish

# How to Make It:

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 and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced 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 over medium-high heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and beans to soften further.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy, or transfer in batches to a countertop blender.
06 - Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Heat gently over low heat until cheese is fully melted and soup reaches serving temperature. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The Parmesan melts right in, turning something simple into something that feels almost luxurious.
  • It's the kind of soup that works as a quiet dinner for one or stretches to feed friends without fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans, the starchy liquid can turn your soup cloudy instead of silky.
  • Blend it when it's cooled just slightly if you're nervous about hot splatters, or keep a kitchen towel nearby as a shield.
03 -
  • An immersion blender is worth the counter space if you make soups often, it's faster and less messy than transferring to a countertop blender.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in portions, so future you can have dinner ready in the time it takes to reheat.
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