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This easy white bean soup recipe is hearty, creamy, and full of flavor. Made with white beans, bacon, and rosemary, it’s a quick 30-minute soup that’s comforting and satisfying.
Featured Comment
“Perfect recipe! Quick, easy, and delicious and it was the perfect amount for one person. Thank you!”
– Rose
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: Made with canned white beans, broth, and a few basic seasonings for a quick and easy meal.
- Ready in 30 Minutes: This hearty, creamy white bean soup comes together fast – perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
- Easy to Customize: Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, or double the recipe to make two servings.
- Budget-Friendly: Made with affordable ingredients for a hearty, flavorful soup that’s easy on your wallet.
- Healthy and Nourishing: Packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients for a wholesome, satisfying bowl.
What I love most about this white bean soup is how it fills the kitchen with the most incredible aroma as it simmers. It’s simple, hearty, and full of flavor, the kind of soup that always makes me look forward to every spoonful.
If you enjoy this white bean soup, you might also like our other single serving soup recipes, like our single serving lasagna soup, rich tomato soup for one, cheesy broccoli cheddar soup, or single serve creamy clam chowder. Each recipe is flavorful, satisfying, and perfectly portioned for one.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch white bean soup recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder,
- Bacon: Use 1 strip of bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces. It adds smoky flavor to the soup. Freeze bacon for future use by coiling individual strips on a baking sheet, freezing for 30 minutes, then transferring to a freezer bag. Use leftover bacon in recipes like easy bacon, egg and cheese cup, a small broccoli salad, and our simple carbonara recipe.
- Olive Oil: Optional. If the bacon releases enough drippings, skip it. Otherwise, use 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil for added flavor.
- Vegetables: Finely chop onions and garlic for the soup base. For extra texture and flavor, add 1/4 cup diced carrots or celery.
- White Beans: Use 1 (15.5-ounce) can of white beans, such as cannellini or white kidney beans. Rinse and drain to remove excess sodium. Try leftover beans in our slow cooker white chicken chili recipe or a mini coronation quiche.
- Seasonings: Dried rosemary and black pepper add classic flavor. For a little spice, use 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes instead of black pepper. Salt may not be needed since bacon and broth provide plenty of seasoning, taste and adjust.
- Chicken Broth: Use quality chicken broth with minimal additives. Low-sodium or regular both work; adjust salt as needed. Extra broth can be used in easy Spanish rice or small hashbrown casserole recipe.
Recipe Variations
This easy white bean soup is simple to customize. Try one of these popular variations to change up the flavor or make it heartier:
- Tuscan White Bean Soup: Add chopped kale or spinach and stir in a spoonful of tomato paste after sautéing the vegetables for a rich, Italian-inspired flavor.
- Creamy White Bean Soup: Purée or mash half of the beans before serving for a naturally creamy texture without using cream.
- Add Protein: Stir in cooked chicken, sausage, or bacon for a hearty, filling soup.
- Spicy White Bean Soup: Sprinkle in red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne for gentle heat.
- Mediterranean White Bean Soup: Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of oregano or basil, and a handful of spinach or chopped kale.
How To Make White Bean Soup For One
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make creamy white bean soup for one person. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a 2-quart saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish.
- If the pan has little bacon fat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add chopped onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic, rosemary, and black pepper; cook 1 minute more.
- Add drained white beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gently mash some beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. Ladle into a bowl and top with the reserved bacon.
Expert Tips
- Read First: Review the full recipe and Ingredient Notes before starting so you understand each step.
- Taste and Adjust: After cooking, taste the soup and add salt or seasonings as needed.
- Add Vegetables: Use up leftovers like zucchini, carrots, or celery for extra flavor and texture.
- Bacon Substitute: Diced ham works well if you don’t have bacon. Sauté it with the onions and garlic for a similar flavor base.
- Control Thickness: If the soup is too thick, stir in a splash of broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Pair your white bean soup with simple sides that make the meal feel complete:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, soak them overnight (or quick-soak), cook until tender, then use in place of canned beans (about 3/4 cups dried = one 15.5 oz can).
Stored in an airtight container, it stays fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Mash part of the beans (either with a spoon or immersion blender). Simmering uncovered also helps concentrate the flavors and naturally thicken the soup.
Cannellini beans are preferred for their creamy texture, but Great Northern or white kidney beans also work well.
Yes, stir in spinach, kale, zucchini, or diced carrots in the last 5 minutes of cooking so they remain bright and tender.
RELATED: Simple Canned Bean Recipes
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this easy white bean soup recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Get a Quick Recipe Overview
White Bean Soup For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 slice bacon -cut into ¼-inch strips
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional) use if bacon drippings aren’t sufficient for sautéing the onions and garlic.
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 (15.5-ounce can) white beans (cannellini beans) -rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- In a 2-quart saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish.
- If the pan has little bacon fat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add chopped onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic, rosemary, and black pepper; cook 1 minute more.
- Add drained white beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gently mash some beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. Ladle into a bowl and top with the reserved bacon.
Notes
- Read First: Review the full recipe and Ingredient Notes before starting so you understand each step.
- Taste and Adjust: After cooking, taste the soup and add salt or seasonings as needed.
- Add Vegetables: Use up leftovers like zucchini, carrots, or celery for extra flavor and texture.
- Bacon Substitute: Diced ham works well if you don’t have bacon. Sauté it with the onions and garlic for a similar flavor base.
- Control Thickness: If the soup is too thick, stir in a splash of broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Love the single servings recipes, especially when freezing portions and anything Crockpot cooking! This bean soup was excellent and even better the next day, dragged out my Crockpot lunch warmer pot and the slow warming had zero effect on the beans, thank you for all your awesome recipes!
I am new to this site. I love it. This soup is so good. Thank You!
Welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup.
Great recipe! It is a perfect single serving. Add a corn muffin and you have perfection! So glad I found this website.
It a great soup. I cooked two slices of bacon so I had enough fat so left out the olive oil. The only think different I would maybe use less rosemary. Serve with a warm roll or maybe a salad for supper. Will make again. I’m a real picky eater so if I liked it it has to be good.
Excellent! I’m new to this site and love it. I have some of my smaller cookware from the early 80’s, so you know what it looks like! I’m glad I saved it and now using it again. Made this soup tonight for dinner and was thrilled with how it turned out. I use very low sodium beans and chicken broth so had to add a little salt. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You have saved me from the ‘same ole, same ole’ and from cooking enough to feed a family of four! I have tried so many of your recipes and each and every one has exceeded my expectations! I now have all the smaller cookware, bakeware an my baby crockpot and baby air fryer that keep me from making too much-THEN EATING IT! lol I don’t really like cooking but for some reason doing in these smaller sizes makes it so much better! Thank you so much!
Could you make this in a small crockpot or would the beans get too mushy?
Yes, you can make white bean soup in a slow cooker. I suggest following steps 1 and 2 in the recipe and adding the cooked vegetables to the beans in the crockpot (save the bacon for later). Sauteeing the onions and garlic in the bacon drippings will add a huge amount of flavor. Cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours.
I love the flavor of this hearty soup. I wonder if I might have made a mistake with my leftover bacon fat, however. I used it all, and maybe it was too much. There was a layer of oily liquid on top of the soup, and my leftovers congealed into a solid mass. Can I resurrect my soup by using a lot of chicken stock? Perhaps I also mashed too many of the beans, making it super-thick.
Hi Cynthia, It sounds like the soup the soup was thick because of the mashed beans. You could add a little extra broth when reheating the soup to thin it out a bit. If there is a layer of fat on top of the soup, it can be removed with a spoon after it has been chilled in the refrigerator.
Thank you very much for your comment, Joanie.I followed your suggestions regarding adding the extra broth and skimming the fat layer off the top of the soup, and it came out just fine.
I live and die by all of your recipes and this is no exception! I’m usually too lazy to cook for just myself but you make it easy for me! Thank you for keeping me on track and away from junk food. I’ve lost weight since finding your recipes and buying your cookbook!
STELLAR RECIPE! THANKS! THANKS! THANKS!
Can I use a can of navy beans? That is what I have on hand. Thank you.
Yes.