Black and White Bean Soup Recipe

Name: Black and White Bean Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 cup chopped onion; 2 garlic cloves (crushed); 29 ounces canned diced tomatoes with their juice ((2 cans)); 14.5 ounces canmed navy or cannellini beans (drained (1 can)); 14.5 ounces canned black beans (drained and lightly rinsed (1 can)); 14.5 ounces beef broth; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; ¾ teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tblsp. chopped fresh basil); ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

Learn to make my simple Black and White Bean Soup! Pair it with an easy grilled cheese sandwich for a hearty dinner on a busy school night.

5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

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Black and white bean soup in a blue speckled bowl.

Learn to make my simple Black and White Bean Soup! Pair it with an easy grilled cheese sandwich for a hearty, filling dinner on a busy school night.

Doesn’t everyone like bean soups? I sure do! They’re hearty, healthy, and oh-so-delectable. But I don’t always have time to make a pot from scratch. That’s where this easy recipe comes in!

You’ll have this delicious soup on the table in under 30 minutes – perfect for busy moms and cooks alike. Plus, it’s very versatile and easy to adapt to your liking.

As you know, beans are low in saturated fat and sodium, very low in cholesterol, and a great source of both protein and fiber.

They’re also budget friendly. More so if you use the dried type, but honestly I rarely think far enough ahead to soak beans in advance. The canned ones work fine for me.

Your family is going to love this combination of black and navy beans cooked in a beefy, tomato broth for a substantial dinner soup.

🥘 Ingredients You’ll Need

Olive Oil – For sauteeing the onion and garlic.
Onion
Garlic
Canned Diced Tomatoes – I typically use Hunt’s brand diced tomatoes. You may have a difference favorite brand.
Navy or Cannellini Beans – Either works for this recipe. My go-to brand for canned beans is Bush’s.
Black Beans – I usually lightly rinse canned black beans to prevent discoloration of the soup. It’s definitely not required.
Beef Broth – If you have homemade beef broth, that’s fantastic. Otherwise use canned or packaged beef broth or stock.
Fresh Parsley – It’s optional but I enjoy the little bit of green color it adds to the soup.
Dried Basil – Adds a little Italian background flavor.
Salt and Black Pepper

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🥄 How to Make Black and White Bean Soup

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic. Saute for 4 minutes or until tender.
Add the tomatoes, beans, beef broth, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Optional – Add a splash of vinegar before serving.

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💡 Tips, Variations, and Substitutes

There are literally dozens of ways to vary this recipe and make it your own! Here are a few ideas to get you going.

No olive oil in the pantry? Use canola, vegetable, corn oil, or even butter.
Make it vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock for the beef stock.
For an even heartier main dish soup, add 8 ounces of chopped, cooked ham.
Many other proteins work well. Use chicken stock in place of the beef broth and add cubed, cooked chicken.
Make it spicy with a bit of finely diced jalapeno pepper.
Amp up the vegetables. Add chopped carrots, peas, finely shredded cabbage, or a can of drained whole kernel corn.
For a southwestern flair, add a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of dried oregano.
Stir a little salsa or pesto into your serving of soup.

🍽 How to Serve

I often serve simple cheese toast with this, but a nice crusty loaf of French bread, a pan of cornbread, or garlic bread would be great. Heck, just some saltine crackers would work for me!

🍚 Storage Information

Store leftovers in a closed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat over low heat or in the microwave.

❓ Questions About Black and White Bean Soup

Why do bean soup recipes usually call for a “splash of vinegar?”

Many bean recipes include a small amount of vinegar added near the end of the cooking time. It’s optional but does serve a specific purpose. Vinegar helps break down the indigestible sugars in beans to help with digestion (less gas). It also adds a subtle bright flavor to the finished soup.

Do I have to rinse canned beans?

Unless the recipe specifically says to add the beans *with their liquid,* it’s advisable to rinse canned beans before adding them to a recipe. The liquid in a can of beans is completely edible, but rinsing is advised because that liquid is primarily starch and salt. Extra starch and salt can affect the finished dish.

🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like

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