By Becky Hardin
Updated Mar 12, 2025
My Parmesan and White Bean Soup is a comforting bowl of goodness—packed with creamy white beans, Parmesan and hearty kale! I love this one-pot soup recipe with incredible flavors that requires minimal effort. Made with simple pantry staples, it is a great winter meal. If you’re looking for a wholesome meal on a busy weeknight, try my white bean soup!
5-Star Review
“Fantastic! Even the kids love it! Thanks!” -Michelle D
Easy White Bean Soup With Parmesan
This Parmesan and White Bean Soup is filling and perfect for cozy winter nights. It’s easy to make in just one pan, so I always make a big batch! Buttery cannellini beans simmer in chicken stock for rich flavors, while Parmesan rinds add an extra layer of umami flavor! Finish it off with savory Parmesan and you’ve got a delicious bowl of soup!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or rendered bacon fat
- ▢ 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- ▢ 2 celery stalks chopped
- ▢ ½ fennel bulb cored & finely chopped
- ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ▢ 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ▢ 1/3 cup white wine dry or semi-dry
- ▢ 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth
- ▢ 1 bay leaf
- ▢ 4 15-ounce cans white beans (Great Northern & Cannellini), drained & rinsed*
- ▢ 4 ounces Parmesan rinds enclosed in cheesecloth or muslin
- ▢ 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 pound baby kale or baby spinach stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
- ▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ▢ juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, add oil, butter, onion, celery, and fennel. Cook over medium heat until vegetables have softened. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or rendered bacon fat, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 celery stalks, ½ fennel bulb
- Add garlic, thyme, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes and cook for additional 30 seconds. 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon fennel seed, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Deglaze the pot by adding white wine while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. 1/3 cup white wine
- Add chicken stock, bay leaf, drained beans, Parmesan rinds, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer 20-30 minutes or until liquid has reduced a little. 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 4 15-ounce cans white beans (Great Northern & Cannellini), drained & rinsed*, 4 ounces Parmesan rinds, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Add kale or spinach, stir well and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until soup has reduced to your liking. 1 pound baby kale or baby spinach
- Discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf.
- Season to taste with additional salt & pepper.
- To serve, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy! 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, juice of 1 lemon, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Parmesan White Bean Soup With Kale
Cook all vegetables : In a large Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or rendered bacon fat), 1 medium chopped yellow onion, 2 chopped celery stalks, ½ chopped fennel bulb. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened.
Add 3 minced garlic cloves,1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon fennel seed, and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Cook an additional 30 seconds.
Deglaze the pan : Deglaze the pot by adding 1/3 cup white wine while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 minute.
Add beans and Parmesan rind : After deglazing, add 6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 4 (15-ounce) cans of white beans (Great Northern & Cannellini) drained & rinsed, 4 ounces Parmesan rinds, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until liquid has reduced a little.
Add greens (kale or spinach) and cook : Add 1 pound baby kale (or baby spinach), stir well and cook for additional 10-15 minutes or until soup has reduced to your liking.
Discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy!
How to Store
Transfer any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days. Reheat on stovetop or in microwave.
Bean soup freezes very well. Simply cook the soup and let it cool completely. Then transfer it to a gallon freezer bag or other airtight freezable container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.
Serving Suggestions
This white cannellini bean soup is straightforward and it’s amazing with a piece of crusty bread for dipping. Pair the soup with my Texas Toast Garlic Bread or just drizzle a little pesto over the soup with some homemade croutons !
More delicious soup recipes to try
Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
Creamy Chicken Soup
Beef Stew Seasoning
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
White Bean Parmesan Soup with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or rendered bacon fat
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- ½ fennel bulb cored & finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup white wine dry or semi-dry
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 15-ounce cans white beans (Great Northern & Cannellini), drained & rinsed*
- 4 ounces Parmesan rinds enclosed in cheesecloth or muslin
- 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound baby kale or baby spinach stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, add oil, butter, onion, celery, and fennel. Cook over medium heat until vegetables have softened. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or rendered bacon fat, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 celery stalks, ½ fennel bulb
- Add garlic, thyme, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes and cook for additional 30 seconds. 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon fennel seed, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Deglaze the pot by adding white wine while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. 1/3 cup white wine
- Add chicken stock, bay leaf, drained beans, Parmesan rinds, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer 20-30 minutes or until liquid has reduced a little. 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 4 15-ounce cans white beans (Great Northern & Cannellini), drained & rinsed*, 4 ounces Parmesan rinds, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Add kale or spinach, stir well and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until soup has reduced to your liking. 1 pound baby kale or baby spinach
- Discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf.
- Season to taste with additional salt & pepper.
- To serve, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy! 4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, juice of 1 lemon, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Notes
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
