Carrot Butter Bean Soup (Printable)
A comforting, light soup with sweet carrots, creamy butter beans, and savory vegetable broth for any season.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts sliced (optional)
→ Beans & Broth
06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) butter beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs & Seasonings
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves)
11 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
12 - ¾ tsp sea salt (more to taste)
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
→ Garnishes
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Zest of ½ lemon
16 - Freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek if using, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Stir in the drained butter beans, bay leaf, dried thyme, and smoked paprika if using. Season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat the beans and vegetables evenly.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until the carrots are fork-tender.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Top each portion with chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest, and a generous crack of black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It costs almost nothing and tastes like something from a restaurant that charges twenty dollars a bowl.
- The butter beans turn creamy and luxurious without a drop of cream, which means you can eat two bowls and still feel light.
02 -
- Do not let the vegetables brown during the initial saute, because browning creates a completely different flavor profile that fights against the gentle sweetness you want here.
- The lemon zest goes in at the very end and never into the hot pot, because heat destroys its fragile perfume and leaves only bitterness.
03 -
- If you have a Parmesan rind hiding in your cheese drawer, drop it into the broth while simmering for a savory depth that will make people think you cooked this all day, then remove it before serving.
- The secret to this soup is patience during the saute step, because those seven minutes of gentle cooking are where all the sweetness and complexity begin.