Creamy Italian White Bean Soup

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

This delicious white bean soup made with creamy white cannellini beans and fresh spinach is flavored with garlic and lemon for a Tuscan favorite.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (16 ounce) cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups water
1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1 Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, continually stirring.
2 Stir in beans, chicken broth, pepper, thyme, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3 Use a slotted spoon to remove 2 cups of bean and vegetable mixture from soup; set aside.
4 Blend remaining soup in small batches in a blender at low speed until smooth — it helps to remove the center piece of the blender lid to allow steam to escape.
5 Pour blended soup back into pot; stir in reserved beans.
6 Bring soup to a boil, occasionally stirring. Stir in spinach and until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
7 Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.