Description
This hearty White Bean Soup with Bacon combines creamy white kidney beans, savory bacon, and fresh vegetables for a comforting and flavorful meal. Slow-simmered with aromatic herbs and finished with Parmesan cheese, this soup is perfect for a cozy family dinner and packs a rich, satisfying flavor in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 3 large carrots, sliced
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans white kidney beans (19 oz each), rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup half-and-half
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot for flavor.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the sliced carrots, celery, and chopped onion to the bacon fat in the pot. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
- Add garlic and seasonings: Stir in the minced garlic along with salt, dried thyme, oregano, parsley, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir for 1 minute to release their aromas.
- Add chicken broth: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate extra flavor.
- Puree beans and half-and-half: In a blender, combine ¾ cup of the rinsed white kidney beans and half-and-half. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Combine and simmer: Return the remaining whole beans and the crispy bacon to the pot, then stir in the pureed bean mixture. Let the soup simmer gently for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the flavors meld.
- Finish with cheese and seasoning: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and taste the soup, adjusting seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- To make it dairy-free, substitute half-and-half with coconut milk or another non-dairy creamer and omit the Parmesan cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, puree fewer beans or skip blending and mash beans slightly with a spoon.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the level of heat according to your preference.
