Description
This Really Good White Bean Soup lives up to its name. By slow-roasting garlic, building a rich vegetable base, and using a secret umami weapon (miso!), this recipe elevates humble dried beans into a luxurious, creamy, and deeply flavorful masterpiece. It’s hearty, healthy, and packed with fiber and protein, yet it tastes incredibly indulgent.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For Soaking:
- 1 pound Dried White Beans (Cannellini or Great Northern)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
For Cooking:
- 4 1/2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, divided
- 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
- 3 Medium Carrots, diced
- 3 Celery Ribs, diced
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 6 to 7 cups Filtered Water
- 1 large sprig Fresh Rosemary
- 1 large sprig Fresh Sage
- 2 Dried Bay Leaves
- 2 teaspoons "No Chicken" Bouillon Base
- 2 medium heads Garlic, tops sliced off
- 1 tablespoon White Miso
- To taste Salt & Black Pepper
- Fresh Parsley, chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Soak the Beans: In a large bowl, cover beans with 8 cups water, 1 ½ tbsp salt, and baking soda. Soak at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
- Sauté Aromatics: Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté onion, carrots, and celery in 1 ½ tbsp olive oil with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes.
- Assemble Soup Base: Add 6 cups water, drained beans, ½ tsp salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Tie rosemary, sage, and bay leaves together and add to pot along with bouillon. Boil uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Roast Garlic and Beans: Turn off heat. Nestle garlic heads (cut side up) into the pot. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over garlic and beans. Cover with lid.
- Bake: Transfer to oven and bake for 60-75 minutes, until beans are completely creamy and tender.
- Finish and Season: Remove from oven. Discard herbs. Remove garlic heads. Whisk miso with a ladle of hot broth and stir back into soup. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves into the soup and mash/stir to combine. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls, top with parsley, and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Soaking Science: Using salt and baking soda in the soaking water helps soften the bean skins, ensuring they cook evenly and become perfectly tender without falling apart.
- Garlic Hack: Roasting the garlic right in the pot with the beans saves a step and infuses the entire soup with a sweet, mellow garlic flavor.
- Consistency: If the soup is too thick after baking, stir in ½ to 1 cup of hot water to reach your desired consistency.
- Umami Boost: Don’t skip the miso! It adds a depth of savory flavor that makes this soup taste like it simmered all day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Soup, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American, Rustic
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
