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Butter Bean Soup

Butter bean soup simmers with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme until the vegetables are tender. Mashing some of the beans against the pot thickens the broth, while lemon juice brightens each bowl.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion medium, chopped
  • 2 carrots medium, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3 can (15 oz) butter beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

  • 1 5-quart Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and black pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add the broth, butter beans, and bay leaf; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  5. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup.
  6. Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

Notes

For thicker soup, mash the beans well against the side of the pot. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freezer-friendly. For a lower-sodium option, choose no-salt-added butter beans and adjust the salt to taste.