Carrot Butter Bean Soup (Printable)
A comforting brothy soup with sweet carrots, creamy butter beans, and savory herbs in a rich vegetable broth.
# 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
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek (if using), celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6–8 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 sea salt and black pepper, tossing gently to coat everything evenly.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 18–20 minutes until the carrots are fork-tender.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Finish each serving with chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest, and an extra crack of black pepper.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- It uses pantry staples you probably already have, which means no emergency grocery runs.
- The butter beans turn silky and tender without any cream or dairy, making it naturally rich yet light.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can double the batch and thank yourself on a busy weeknight.
02 -
- Do not let the vegetables brown during the initial saute because browning changes the flavor from sweet and clean to deep and caramelized, which is not what this soup is about.
- If you want a creamier texture without adding cream, mash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot or give it a few pulses with an immersion blender before serving.
03 -
- Taste the broth before adding the beans because once they are in, the salt distributes differently and is harder to judge accurately.
- Slice the carrots on a slight diagonal rather than in rounds because the angled cuts look more elegant and cook more evenly.