Cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans or Great Northern beans, are nutty, creamy beans that make an excellent addition to soups and stews. They make for thick, hearty soups and feature versatile textures and flavors. That makes it easy for us because cannellini beans can be paired with various ingredients.
You can use canned beans for most of these recipes, but we find that cooking your own dry beans leads to a fuller flavor profile. We hope you enjoy making these delicious cannellini soup recipes this winter!
1. Smoked Ham Cannellini Soup Recipe
This play on the classic Italian ribollita soup is great for using up old bread and any vegetables that you may have lying around. The mirepoix provides a deep, flavorful base, and the smoked ham makes for a nice meaty bite in every spoonful.
The cannellini beans produce a creamy mouthfeel, making this a thick, hearty soup that is sure to warm you from the inside out. If you want even more flavor, consider adding celery root or parsnip to your mirepoix.
Feel free to add more vegetables, such as peppers or peas, to the final product. If you don’t have vegetable stock, chicken stock or bouillon can work in a pinch.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
2. Classic Cannellini Soup Recipe
This soup proves that a dish does not always need meat to fill you up, though you could easily add Italian sausage or chicken to it. The lemon garlic oil is incredibly flavorful, bringing citric undertones to every bite. Wilted kale gives the dish a nice bitterness, while white wine provides acidity and depth to the cannellini soup. You can also substitute apple cider vinegar for white wine without altering the flavor profile too much.
3. Root Vegetable and Kale Cannellini Soup Recipe
Root vegetables are hearty, delicious, and full of vitamins and minerals. They also bring a boatload of flavor and richness to any soup base. This cannellini soup recipe includes celery, onion, garlic, and carrots to make a delectable soup that only gets better with every extra ingredient.
We love the buttery flavor and texture of the Yukon gold potatoes, but you can also use russet or red potatoes. For a brothier soup, add more stock and omit the potatoes. If you want something thicker and creamier, smash some of the potatoes and beans against the bowl towards the end of the cooking process.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
4. Spinach Cannellini Soup Recipe
This is a versatile recipe that is perfect for vegans and vegetarians. It’s also an ideal weeknight meal because it comes together in less than a half hour. It goes heavy on the cannellini beans, but you can add other beans to make it a little heartier.
After sautéing the garlic, simply add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until it is ready to eat. The only thing you have to do is add spinach towards the end; it should wilt within 5 minutes. While the recipe calls for using an immersion blender, you can enjoy this as a brothier soup by skipping this step.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
5. Cannellini and Ham Soup
This herby, spicy cannellini soup is excellent for colder weather but can be thoroughly enjoyed anytime. This one needs about 4 hours of total cooking time so that it may be better as a weekend meal. However, there aren’t many active steps, so you can let this simmer while you tend to other tasks (or side dishes).
Smoky ham hocks or shanks add a delightful, meaty flavor that is tough to replicate with any other meat. Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning brings a lot of flavor to the dish, and the tabasco at the end makes for a nice kick that balances it out beautifully.
Get the full recipe and directions from Simply Recipes.
6. Thick and Hearty Ribollita
This Tuscan dish is quick and easy but packs a huge punch of flavor. Much of that is thanks to the parmesan rind, but you can leave that out in favor of nutritional yeast if you want to keep this soup vegan-friendly. The San Marzano tomatoes are key to adding sweetness, so try to spring for a high-quality brand of canned tomatoes if you can find one.
Using day-old bread is best for this soup because it soaks in all the flavors in a way that fresh bread simply can’t replicate.
Get the full recipe and directions from The Mediterranean Dish.
7. Vegan Instant Pot Cannellini Stew
When you want a fantastic stew but don’t have an entire day to cook it, the Instant Pot is the perfect tool. This vegan recipe imparts flavors that make you feel like it took several hours to prepare, but it can be finished in less than one hour. It contains no dairy, nuts, or soy, so this dish can cater to nearly every diet.
Get the full recipe and directions from Rainbow Plant Life.
Cannellini beans are an excellent source of protein, fiber, iron, and magnesium, and they have a brilliant creamy texture. You can load them into all of these cannellini soups and make them the star of the show, or you can dial them back and add other proteins if you want something heartier. Don’t forget to share your favorite version of cannellini soup in the comments!
If you like this post, we think you’ll really like our Gnocchi Soup Recipes post.
