My soup game has been pretty weak this winter.
It’s a shame, because I love a good bowl of soup. Look at that silky texture.
I usually test a new soup recipe every week once fall arrives, but we had unusually warm weather here—almost summer-like on Christmas—so I’ll blame that for my lapse. Regardless, I’m making up for lost time now.
Last Friday I made a lasagna soup and it was phenomenal. If you haven’t tried a lasagna-style soup, add it to your list and make it alongside this one this weekend.
This white bean soup is almost too easy to share. I use canned cannellini beans instead of dried, which saves time—especially useful these days when life gets busy. The soup comes together in about 30 minutes and is unbelievably silky and creamy, with a melt-in-your-mouth finish.
It starts with crispy bacon, builds flavor with onions, garlic and beans, and finishes with a drizzle of spiced brown butter. That brown butter—curry-spiked and fragrant—is a game changer. I first discovered the idea in a green lentil soup recipe and have used that brown butter on everything from soups to grilled cheese. For this soup I add a pinch of cardamom for extra winter warmth.
You only need a small drizzle of the spiced brown butter, but it adds remarkable depth. Finish each bowl with crunchy bacon crumbles, a scatter of fresh herbs, and an optional rustic crouton for texture. One large crouton is plenty—unless you’re using the bowl for dipping, which I fully admit to doing.
White Bean Soup with Bacon and Spiced Brown Butter
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Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup half and half
spiced brown butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
Instructions
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Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and stir, then add the basil, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize, about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Stir in the beans and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the pot. Season with salt to taste, keeping in mind the bacon topping. Stir in the half and half just before serving.
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Serve topped with the bacon crumbles and drizzles of spiced brown butter.
spiced brown butter
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Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook until it bubbles and brown bits form on the bottom, about 4 to 5 minutes. Quickly stir in the curry and cardamom, remove from heat, and whisk for another 10 seconds. Drizzle the spiced brown butter over the soup before serving.
Notes
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Isn’t that just food heaven?