Tomato White Bean Soup

Tomato white bean soup is a 15-minute pantry meal with spinach and simple ingredients—healthy, hearty, and easy to make.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 170kcal

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1½ cups white beans or one can, drained
14 ounce can diced tomatoes, home canned tomatoes, or whole tomatoes - chop first if using
1½ cups chicken broth or a 14.5-ounce can
2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or herbs of your choice
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
3 cups chopped spinach, optional (fresh or frozen) - can use kale or chard
Grated parmesan for serving, optional - or other cheese

Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
Toss in garlic and onions and sauté for 2 minutes until onions are translucent.
Add beans, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a very low boil for about 5 minutes. TIP: Cover the pot when bringing to a boil to boil faster.
Stir in chopped spinach, if using, and cook 1-2 minutes more.
Serve as is or topped with grated parmesan.

Variations:

To make this a thicker stew or a bean dish to scoop with a flatbread like focaccia, decrease the chicken broth or omit all together.
Add cooked chicken, beef, or shrimp - a great way to use up leftovers.
Add leftover roasted vegetables - tons of flavor.
Add frozen broccoli or cauliflower - add with the tomatoes and broth.
Use chopped kale or chard, either frozen or fresh (add with onions if using fresh).
Add bacon: Cook it until crisp, remove to drain and then sauté the garlic and onion in the fat. Serve the soup with crumbled bacon on top.
Change the flavor with different seasonings and beans. Examples include red beans with Cajun seasoning, black beans with taco seasoning, and pinto beans with chili powder seasoning or Tex-Mex seasoning.

Storage:

Refrigerator: Store this in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Reheating: Heat in a saucepan or microwave for a few minutes until hot.
Freezing: You can make a bigger batch of this and freeze it in 1-cup portions for an even faster meal! Frozen soup will keep 3-6 months.