Broccoli and White Bean Soup (Creamy and Irresistible)

This creamy white bean soup, topped with a splash of heavy cream, is light and luscious. Serve this easy dish with a fresh salad and crusty bread for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner.

Use an immersion blender for a quick and easy puree, or transfer the soup to a high-speed blender for a dreamy, velvety consistency. Either way, you should make a large pot of this homemade white bean and broccoli soup. It’s one of my family’s favorites.

Why I love this recipe (and, you will too)

• Like this Navy Bean Soup, this creamy white bean soup is light, healthy, and filled with fresh vegetables. It is also satisfying, delicious, and true comfort food.
• This is one of our favorite soup recipes for meal prep. Pureed soups are perfect for freezing and reheating as needed.
• This broccoli and cannellini bean soup is a great way to sneak some extra vegetables into your picky eaters! The beans and cream create such a rich and silky broth that your kids will have difficulty guessing that broccoli is one of the key ingredients.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Olive oil: Olive oil forms a flavorful base for sautéing the fresh vegetables.
• Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse. Roasting the broccoli before adding it to the soup deepens the flavor and makes it sweeter and nuttier. You can also substitute frozen broccoli in this recipe! Just allow the broccoli to thaw under warm running water, dry it, and then roast it as you would fresh.
• Garlic: Use fresh whole garlic cloves in this recipe.
• Shallots: Caramelizing the shallots in olive oil only takes a few minutes and adds a great depth of flavor. You can substitute a yellow onion.
• Cannellini beans: Any white bean, such as great Northern or kidney beans, would make an excellent base for this dish Make sure you use canned beans or soaked and cooked beans.
• Chicken stock: This is a simple soup, so a high-quality and flavorful stock is essential! If you’d like to make your own, check out my post on how to make chicken stock using a rotisserie chicken carcass. You can also substitute vegetable broth or stock for a vegetarian broccoli and bean soup.
• Heavy cream: A splash of heavy cream makes the broth luxurious and creamy. You can substitute half and half or milk for a lighter option. Or, feel free to add a little bit more for an even creamier soup.
• Salt and pepper: enhance the other flavors. If you use regular chicken stock, you may not need any salt. Taste before adding.
• Fresh herbs (optional): I added some fresh parsley as a garnish. Fresh rosemary or thyme would also be delicious. If you don’t have any fresh herbs on hand, you can add a pinch of Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes to the broth while it’s cooking

Complete measurements are in the recipe card below.

How to make Broccoli and White Bean Soup

1. To begin making this delicious soup, preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the florets off the broccoli stalks (reserve the stalks) and place them on a baking sheet along with four cloves of peeled garlic. Drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil — toss and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel half of the broccoli stems. Cut half of the stems into small pieces and discard the other half. Peel and mince the shallots. Place the chopped broccoli stalks and shallots into a large Dutch oven, or large pot with one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.

4. Add the chicken stock and beans, cover and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

5. Add the roasted broccoli and garlic to the pan. Use an immersion blender or a high speed blender to puree the mixture to a creamy consistency.

6. Add the cream, stir, and taste. Add kosher salt and ground black pepper.

7. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Serving and menu suggestions

This broccoli white bean soup is a delicious light meal all by itself, but when I want to make the meal a little more substantial, I’ll add a Spinach Salad, Apple Pecan Salad, Grape Salad, or Brussels Sprout Salad and serve it with Hoe Cakes, a slice of my Texas Toast Garlic Bread, or Southern Cornbread.

It also makes a great starter course for entrees such as Blackened Grouper, Fried Fish, Stuffed Cornish Hens, or Oven Fried Chicken.

Recipe variations

This simple white bean soup recipe can easily be changed up by adding a cup or so of cooked sausage, chicken or ham, or fresh chopped kale, spinach, or escarole.

A sprinkle of parmesan cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of olive oil, truffle oil, or lemon juice or zest can add another flavor dimension.

What can you substitute for cannellini beans:

Great Northern Beans or Navy Beans are white beans and make excellent substitutes for cannellini beans which are sometimes called white kidney beans.

Cannellini beans, just like other white beans, are incredibly versatile. I almost always have a can in my pantry and can whip up any number of delicious cannellini bean recipes in a matter of minutes.

How to store and reheat leftovers:

This dish is even better the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. For extended storage, freeze the leftovers in individual servings and store it in a freezer-safe container for two to three months.

You can reheat the leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Recipe FAQs:

Top tips to ensure this recipe turns out perfectly

If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a blender or your food processor to puree the soup. Be careful when processing hot liquid. Only fill the blender or food processor halfway and blend in batches. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes before you start, and always hold a potholder or kitchen towel over the lid when blending.

Be sure to drain and thoroughly rinse your canned beans before adding them to the soup.

If you want to use dry beans in the recipe, you can follow this helpful tutorial for how to cook dried beans.

More simple soup recipes:

If you like soup as we do, I know you will love these easy and nutritious soup recipes from my blog:

Need more recipes or menu ideas? Here is a link to all of my soup recipes.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐Did you make this recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Stock? I’d be thrilled to hear what you thought! Did you add your own twist or have a tip to share?

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