White Bean Soup with Bacon
White Bean Soup with Bacon is a warm and comforting dish that is loaded with vegetables and creamy white beans with the smoky flavor of bacon! It's easy to make and freezer friendly.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon ((or 4 thick cut) chopped)
- 3 large carrots ((peeled and sliced))
- 2 ribs celery ((sliced))
- 1 medium onion ((finely chopped))
- 4 cloves garlic ((finely minced))
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans white kidney beans ((540 ml or 19 oz each))
- ¾ cup half and half
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- fresh chopped parsley or spinach ((optional))
Directions
- 1
Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot, but leave the fat in the pot.
- 3
Add carrots, celery, and onion to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the onion is softened and beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. (if there's still a lot of excess fat after this point, you can dab some up with a paper towel if you prefer.)
- 4
Add the garlic, salt, thyme, oregano, parsley, paprika, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute.
- 5
Add broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck-on bits.
- 6
Place the beans in a fine mesh sieve and rinse well. Place ¾ cup of beans in the blender with cream and blend until smooth.
- 7
Add the beans, bacon, and bean puree to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
- 8
Stir in parmesan and optional parsley or spinach as desired. Taste and serve.
- 9
*Optional: if you prefer a thicker soup, you can dissolve 1 tablespoon of corn starch in 2 tablespoons of cream or water and add it to the soup while it is simmering.