Creamy Broccoli White Beans Soup
This creamy broccoli soup is healthy, cozy, and made without cream or dairy. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep.
When the weather cools down, there’s nothing better than a warm bowl of broccoli white bean soup served with a slice of crusty bread or a soft dinner roll.
It’s a regular in our meal rotation, alongside other soups like cauliflower, sweet potato, and curried butternut squash.
Blended white beans give it a creamy texture without heavy cream while adding protein and fiber, making it naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
Recipe Highlights
- Light and satisfying: No cream or milk, yet still full of flavor.
- Great for meal prep: Keeps well for up to 4 days, ideal for quick lunches or weeknight dinners.
- Simple to customize: Add your favorite toppings or adjust the spices to your liking.
Key Ingredients & Easy Swaps
- Broccoli: Fresh gives the best flavor, but frozen florets work well too. Chop into small pieces so it cooks evenly and quickly.
- White beans: Cannellini or great northern beans create a smooth, creamy base.
- Aromatics: Shallots and garlic for depth. No shallots? Use yellow onion.
- Broth: Vegetable stock for a vegan option, or chicken if you prefer.
- Spices: Red pepper flakes add heat. Adjust to taste.
- Toppings (optional): Sunflower seeds, fresh herbs like oregano or chives, chili flakes, homemade croutons, or any nuts and seeds for extra texture.
See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook the shallot until soft, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Simmer the soup: Add broccoli, white beans, and vegetable stock. Cook until the broccoli is tender.
- Blend: Season with salt and pepper, then blend until smooth using an immersion or countertop blender.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle into bowls and top with sunflower seeds, chili flakes, and fresh oregano.
Recipe Variations
- More veggies: Stir in spinach, kale, or zucchini.
- Make it spicy: Add extra chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne.
- Protein boost: Mix in cooked quinoa, lentils, or chickpeas.
- Cheesy flavor: Use sharp cheddar cheese, or nutritional yeast for a vegan version.
Elena’s Tips
- Season well: Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and chili flakes before serving.
- Blend carefully: I usually use an immersion blender right in the pot for easy cleanup. With a countertop blender, work in batches and be careful with hot soup.
- Adjust the consistency: Add more broth to thin it, or simmer longer to thicken.
How to Store and Freeze
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if needed, or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until heated through.
More Healthy Comfort Food Recipes
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita
- Crispy Baked Chicken Breast
- Lighten-Up Beef Stroganoff
If you’ve made this creamy broccoli soup, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you.
How To Make It: Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove thinly sliced or minced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 head of broccoli (450 g – 1 lb) cut into florets
- 1 can cannellini beans (400 g – 14 oz) drained and rinsed
- 3½ cups (840 ml) vegetable stock low sodium
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Toppings (optional)
- sunflower seeds
- chili flakes
- fresh oregano
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Sauté the aromatics
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Simmer the soup
- Add the broccoli, white beans, and vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Blend
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If you're using a countertop blender, work in batches and blend carefully. Add more stock if needed to reach your desired consistency.
Serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sunflower seeds, chili flakes, and fresh oregano.
Notes
- Broccoli: Both fresh and frozen work well.
- White beans: Cannellini or great northern beans give the best texture.
- Shallots: Swap with yellow onion if needed.
- Vegetable broth: Homemade or low-sodium broth gives you better control over saltiness.
- Spices: Adjust the chili flakes to your taste. Add more if you like it spicy, or leave them out for a milder soup.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if needed to loosen the texture. Or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Easy, fast and very good – thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, Terry!
Healthy and delicious. Also surprisingly easy and fast to make.
Fantastic recipe!! I’m tormenting myself making it now at 12:41 am. Can’t sleep. SOUP. used frozen broccoli as I ate the 2 heads I HAD. FROZEN works very well . Ran the sunflower seeds through the food processor made into a chunky powder, kinda. Mixed in with Greek yogurt, cumin and a shake of red pepper flakes. You inspire me. Thank you
I’m glad you enjoyed the broccoli white bean soup, Laura! Your additions sound delicious!
This was so good, I’m making it twice in one week. This time I will top with some lower fat sour cream. Can you use frozen broccoli added to the fresh broccoli as I am just a little short of the fresh?
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the soup, Gree! Topping it with sour cream sounds like a fantastic idea. :)
Yes, you can definitely use frozen broccoli. You don’t need to defrost them; just add them with the fresh ones in step 3.
Your recipe look great, am planning on making soon
I hope you will like it! :)
I make this soup with butter beans, delicious
So simple, and yet so delicious! I was a bit skeptical about how simple this is, but I had a ton of fresh broccoli about to go bad and just needed to make something happen. I will definitely cook this again!
I used onion and garlic in place of shallots, which I did not have, and sauteed the red chile flakes right with them to get a more pronounced flavor. I thought the soup was a tad salty so next time I’ll make sure to buy low-sodium beans. Definitely try the dollop of plain yogurt! It was a really nice touch and gave the soup more heft and protein. A small bit of shredded cheddar took this over the top — it’s like the world’s healthiest broccoli cheddar soup. YUM.
So glad you liked it, Katherine! Thank you for the feedback! :)
Seriously loved this soup! It’s just as good reheated, as well, which makes it perfect for lunches!!!! I’m about to make another batch right now!
So glad you liked it, Deana! Thank you for the feedback! :)
Quick, easy & delicious! Thank you!
I am glad you liked it, Nadine!
We had this for lunch today. I used chicken broth and small white beans (what i had). Super tasty!! A great base too if you want to switch out the broccoli for something else. We will definitely have again.
Glad you enjoyed it, Stacia!
I was skeptical but this soup is really good and it’s super quick and easy to make! Love the protein from the beans in a creamy broccoli soup!
I am glad you liked it, Liz! :)
Delicious! It’s a cold, snowy day here in New York and we just had this for lunch! Even my picky four year old liked it!
I am glad you enjoyed this soup, Cherie! :)