White Bean Soup

A sustaining soup where everything goes into the pot at the same time: the white beans, the brown rice, the leek, the garlic and the onions.

The rice is not there to fill but to bind: it is what gives the soup its smooth body once blended, with no cream needed at all.

The spinach, for its part, only goes in at the end, once the soup has been blended a first time, so it keeps its bright colour.

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What you need to make this white bean soup:

White beans — tinned, rinsed in several changes of water to take away the brine flavour; they bring the protein and the body of the soup.
Precooked brown rice — it is not there to fill but to bind: it is what gives the soup its smooth body once blended, with no cream needed at all.
Leek and onions — the aromatic base of the soup; they soften slowly in the broth and give it its depth.
Garlic — it flavours the whole pot and lifts the otherwise mild taste of the beans and rice.
Water and vegetable stock cube — together they make the broth everything simmers in at once, beans, rice and vegetables all together.
Fresh spinach — added only after the first blending to keep its bright colour, it brings a touch of fresh green to the soup.
Salt and pepper — season generously: two litres of water need more seasoning than you would think.

Why this white bean soup must be on your menu!

Everything in the same pot: No separate precooking, no fussy steps.
Everything goes into the pot at once and simmers while you do something else; ready in 45 minutes flat.
Garnish it however you like: Bacon, pancetta, tofu, fish or pulled chicken for protein; cream, almond milk or goat's cheese; croutons, seasoned or plain.
And to finish: dill, parsley, chives or thyme; corn, peppers or tomatoes; sumac, paprika, gomasio, curry or ras el hanout; walnuts, pumpkin seeds or cumin seeds.
Budget-friendly and filling: Tinned beans, precooked rice, nothing expensive or hard to find.
Enough to feed eight people without breaking the bank.
Vegan and gluten-free as written: No cream, no dairy, a vegetable stock.
This soup suits just about everyone, garnishes aside.

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White Bean Soup

A smooth soup of white beans and brown rice, scented with leek and garlic, finished with fresh spinach.

Prep 15 min

Cook 30 min

Total time 45 min

Course: Soups Cuisine: French Keyword: White bean soup Calories:

Ingredients

Servings: 8 servings

Instructions

Roughly chop the onions, garlic and leek.
Rinse the white beans and the rice several times in a sieve, and drain.
Put all the ingredients except the spinach into a casserole or large pan. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce to medium and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
Blend everything with a stick blender until smooth.
Add the spinach and blend again. Serve hot with the garnish of your choice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tips

Season generously from the start: two litres of water need more salt than you would think.
Wait until the rice is genuinely tender before blending, or the soup stays grainy.
The spinach goes in after the first blending: cooked, it would lose its colour.
Rinse tinned beans in several changes of water: that is what takes away the brine flavour.

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