Paula Deen White Bean Soup

Paula Deen White Bean Soup is a creamy pureed soup with canned white beans, tomato paste and chicken broth that comes together in 55 minutes. Try this easy weeknight soup recipe for Sunday dinner or a cozy holiday table, since it's made in one pot and feeds four.

Puree the soup in a blender until it's fairly smooth, because that is what turns plain beans and broth into a velvety bowl. Skip it and you get a thin, brothy soup with whole beans floating in it.

Paula stirs tomato paste into the sauteed onion and garlic before any liquid goes in, which gives the soup a gentle sweetness and a rosy color. Serving it in hollowed-out bread bowls also means the bowl is part of the meal, and the scooped bread makes croutons for later.

Paula Deen White Bean Soup

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Course: SoupCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

Softened onion, garlic and tomato paste simmer with white beans and broth, then get blended until smooth and velvety. Ladled into a bread bowl and topped with parsley, it's warm, savory and filling.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  

• 1 yellow onion
  

• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
  

• 1/4 cup tomato paste
  

• 2 15 1/2-ounce cans white beans
  

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  

• salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 4 small round loaves bread optional
  

• 2 teaspoons Chopped fresh parsley
  

Directions

• Saute the onion: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until it softens.
• Add the garlic: Stir in 2 teaspoons chopped garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Once it smells fragrant, stir in 1/4 cup tomato paste.
• Bring to a boil: Add 2 cans of white beans (15 1/2 ounces each) and 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth to the pot. Then bring everything to a boil.
• Simmer the soup: Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Puree until smooth: Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor, working in batches if your blender is small. Puree until fairly smooth.
• Make the bread bowls: If you like, slice the top off each of the 4 small round loaves and hollow out about 1 1/2 cups of bread from each. Save the scooped bread for croutons or bread crumbs later.
• Serve and garnish: Ladle the hot soup into the bread bowls or regular bowls. Then top each one with a sprinkle of the 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley.

Tools for this recipe

• Vitamix E310 blender, Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Braun MultiQuick 7 immersion blender, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use dried white beans instead of canned?

Yes, but soak them overnight and cook them until tender before they go into the soup. Cooked dried beans work the same as canned here, and about 3 cups cooked equals the two cans.

How long does white bean soup keep in the fridge?

Stored in an airtight container, it keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It also freezes well for a couple of months, so leave out the bread bowls and reheat gently on the stovetop.

Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Swap the chicken broth for a good vegetable broth and the rest of the recipe stays the same. The butter and olive oil already carry plenty of flavor, so you won't miss the chicken.

What if I don't have a blender?

An immersion blender works right in the pot, which also saves you from transferring hot soup. A potato masher gets you a chunkier, rustic soup if you don't mind some texture.

What can I serve with white bean soup besides bread bowls?

Cornbread is a natural fit, and crusty bread or a simple green salad works too. If you skip the bread bowls, the soup also tastes great with homemade croutons made from the hollowed-out bread.