Cannellini bean soup is a hearty vegan soup made with white beans, spinach, and vegetables cooked in creamy coconut milk. It's very easy to make and gets ready in just 30 minutes. A comforting dish for your meatless Monday meals.
A bowl of delicious hearty soup is something I can enjoy in every season. Yes, they do taste even better on colder days but they are a great option for light meals during summers too, when you don't want to spend long hours in the kitchen. Just throw everything in a pot, season with your favorite flavors, and let it simmer.
Like this vegan cannellini bean soup with spinach. It's so filling that you can also enjoy it as a satisfying, and comforting meal.
What goes in cannellini bean soup?
To make this cannellini bean soup, you will be needing the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- Cannellini beans: Home cooked or canned both are fine. If using canned beans, I would recommend rinsing them before using. Also, I have used cannellini beans but any type of white bean can be used in this recipe.
- Baby spinach: Roughly chopped regular spinach can also be used, just cook it for a slightly longer period.
- Vegetables: I have used carrots, celery, and onion. You can also add more vegetables like green peas, French beans, broccoli, etc.
- Seasoning: Feel free to use seasoning of your choice to flavor the soup. If you don't want any hint of heat skip chili flakes. If you want to make it spicy, add more chili flakes or finely chopped chili peppers.
- Coconut milk: Coconut milk makes cannellini bean soup very creamy but if you don't like coconut milk, either skip milk completely or use another dairy free milk like cashew or almond milk.
How to make (Step by step instructions)
Step 1: Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Step 2: Add finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery.
Step 3: Saute for 6-7 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy
Step 4: Add minced garlic.
Step 5: Add thyme, oregano, and chili flakes. Saute for about a minute.
Step 6: Add vegetable stock to the pot.
Step 7: Take around half a cup of cooked beans in a bowl and mash to make a paste.
Step 8: Add boiled beans to the pot.
Step 9: Also, add the mashed beans paste.
Step 10: Next, add salt and pepper.
Step 11: Mix everything and boil for another 6-7 minutes.
Step 12: Add around 3 cups of baby spinach.
Step 13: Mix everything.
Step 14: Add whisked coconut milk.
Step 15: Stir continuously for about a minute so that the milk doesn't get curdled.
Step 16: Cook until the spinach leaves get wilted and then switch off the stove.
Step 17: Add lemon juice and mix.
Step 18: Garnish with roughly chopped parsley or cilantro.
Enjoy your hearty Cannellini bean soup!
Serving white bean vegetable soup
Serve this white bean soup hot with a side dish of your choice like roasted potato wedges, Spanish potatoes, garlic butter mushrooms, or crispy garlic cheese bread.
Storing suggestions
To store, put the bean soup in an air-tight container and refrigerate it. It will be fine for around 4 days.
Freezing tips
Cannellini bean soup freezes well. To freeze, transfer to freezer-safe containers and put in the freezer. It will be fine for 3-4 months.
To reheat, either microwave for a few minutes or heat on the stovetop until piping hot.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Mash some beans, add to the soup and then boil for a creamier white bean soup.
- Whisk the coconut milk in a bowl until smooth before adding it to the soup otherwise, it may curdle.
- If you don't like the taste of coconut milk, either skip milk or add a different variety like cashew or almond milk.
- If you have cooked white beans at home, don't discard the water in which it was cooked. Instead, mix it with vegetable stock and use it in the recipe for a creamier soup.
- Baby spinach gets cooked very fast, don't overcook it.
Frequently asked questions
Cannellini bean is a type of white bean.
Yes, this soup can be made with any other type of bean too.
Yes, the white bean is naturally gluten-free. However, if you are using canned beans, check the allergens note on the can.
More vegan bean soup recipes
If you enjoyed this white bean vegetable soup and looking for more bean soup recipes then don't miss to check the following links:
More easy bean recipes:
And, if you want to try different dishes using beans, the following recipes are worth trying:
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the recipe card below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest.
Recipe
Cannellini bean soup (vegan white bean and spinach soup)
Equipment
- 1 Large cooking pot
- 1 Spatula
- Knife and chopping board
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white beans
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice adjust to taste
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes adjust to taste
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Take around ½ a cup of cooked beans in a bowl and mash to make a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.
- Heat oil in a pot. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Saute on medium heat for 6-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, chili flakes, oregano, and thyme. Saute for about a minute.
- Add vegetable stock, cooked beans, mashed beans, salt, and pepper. Boil for around 6-7 minutes or until the soup thickens.
- Add baby spinach and whisked coconut milk. Stir continuously for a minute and then cook for a few more minutes i.e. until the spinach leaves get wilted.
- Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice while stirring the soup continuously.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Any type of white bean can be used to make this soup.
- Add lemon juice only after turning off the heat and keep stirring for 1-2 minutes after adding it otherwise coconut milk may curdle.
- If you have cooked white beans at home, don't discard the water in which they were cooked. Instead, mix it with vegetable stock and use it in the recipe for a creamier soup.
- You may adjust the quantity of vegetable stock depending on your soup consistency preference.
- More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
This recipe is great and has become one our go-to's for weeknight dinners. The addition of the coconut milk and lemon really steps this up a notch and gives it a delicious, more complex flavor. Hearty, healthy, and oh so tasty - thank you!
Thank you, Becca.
Wonderfully tasty, healthy & versatile recipes for a variety of vegan bean soups! Thank you Vandana 💚
Thank you Linda for leaving such a lovely comment 🙂
Cannellini bean soup looks healthy and nutritious as it is loaded with the goodness of veggies. Perfect easy to prepare meal for summer.
Thanks Amrita.
I use cannellini beans in my cooking a lot, yet to make soup with it. Hearty and flavourful soup with a wholemeal bread is just I want on a rainy and dull day.
Thank you 🙂
What a flavorful aromatic Cannellini Bean soup. I would love to have it with some warm dinner roll and I am done. Happy me! Coconut milk gives a subtle flavor to this or I would rather have even without the coconut milk. But I admit that coconut milk gives a nice creamy soup. Nice post!
I love hearty and vegetable-loaded bean soup. Cannellini bean soup looks delicious and I will try this recipe soon.
Thanks Uma.
Wow vandana love this vegetable loaded cannellini bean soup! With coconut milk added to the liquid, this must be one rich and filling soup! I would love to make a bowl for myself!
Thanks Priya.
This is such a hearty and comforting bowl of soup. Love that you use cannelini beans - makes it protein rich and delicious. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
Thank you.
This Cannellini Bean Soup looks so inviting. Like how you've added coconut milk, other veggies and also the spinach. Wholesome soup and wouldn't need anything else with except bread sticks or some bread.
Thank you 🙂