One-Pot White Bean and Vegetable Soup

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-18 · Updated 2026-04-18

A hearty, slow-simmered soup featuring tender cannellini beans, aromatic vegetables, and a fragrant herb broth. This mediterranean-inspired soups (vegetarian) ready in about 95 minutes pairs cannellini beans, vegetable broth, carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cannellini beans
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place 1 cup rinsed cannellini beans and 4 cups vegetable broth in a large pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour until beans are tender — avoid covering to prevent breaking.
2. Step 2: While beans simmer, dice 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and 1 onion into 1/4-inch cubes. Mince 3 garlic cloves and heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables and minced garlic, cooking for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add the cooked vegetable mixture, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tsp dried thyme to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, then remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.