White Bean Tomato Soup
Servings: 6
This creamy tomato soup is almost too good to be true. It gets its creaminess from white beans, rather than dairy, but it still has the comforting flavor of classic tomato soup. I've made this recipe as easy as possible, so you won't need fresh herbs or store-bought broth to get started, yet it still tastes like it should be served at a restuarant!
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 large carrots , peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes , with juices
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup Cannelini beans (see notes)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat a 4-quart or larger pot over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the onion and carrot until soft, about 9 minutes. Then add the garlic and basil and stir for 1 more minute.
- Next, add the whole can of tomatoes (with juices), water, salt, and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Once it's rapidly boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes. (Longer is even better, but I'm usually too impatient to wait any longer.)
- Transfer the soup to a blender and add the white beans. Secure the lid and carefully blend the hot soup until it's smooth. (Safety Tip: There should be a vent in the top of your blender lid to help steam safely escape. Cover that with a thin dishtowel to avoid any splattering.) Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot.
- Once the soup is blended, return it to the pot and adjust the seasoning to taste. I usually start by adding 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, but I also like to add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar for depth of flavor, and another ½ teaspoon of salt. (This will vary based on your taste buds.) If the soup doesn't taste right, you might need to add 1 more tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Serve the soup warm with the remaining white beans on top (see notes below), and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
Nutrition information is for approximately 1 1/4 cups of soup. This information is automatically calculated using an online database, so it's just an estimate not a guarantee.
White Bean Note: I've tested this recipe with a whole can of white beans and just blending a half cup into the soup. I prefer using only a half cup of beans blended in the soup, but then I like to serve the remaining beans from the can on top. It adds a nice texture! To flavor the remaining white beans, quickly saute them in olive oil with a pinch of garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. They make a flavorful topping, almost like garlic croutons.