Bean Soup with Garlic and Lemon Recipe
Introduction
This Bean Soup with Garlic & Lemon is a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for any season. Made with tender cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and brightened with lemon, it’s both nourishing and delicious. Whether you use a stovetop, slow cooker, or pressure cooker, this recipe is easy to prepare and sure to satisfy.
Ingredients
- 250 grams / 8.8 oz cannellini beans (or other small white beans), soaked overnight
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 carrot, cut into very thin slices
- 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Optional: 500 ml vegetable stock
Instructions
- Step 1: Drain the soaked beans and place them in a pot filled halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cook for 3-4 minutes, then drain using a strainer.
- Step 2: For stovetop cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until soft and golden.
- Step 3: Add the beans along with 1.5 liters of water (or 1 liter water plus 500 ml vegetable stock). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for about 2 hours until the beans are tender.
- Step 4: Stir in the celery and carrot, season with salt and pepper, and continue simmering until the soup thickens. Add the lemon juice and zest, cook for 2 more minutes, then remove from heat. Serve with extra lemon and freshly ground pepper if desired.
- Step 5: To use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil using the sauté function until golden. Add beans, water (or water and stock), and close the lid. Cook on manual for 20 minutes, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then release steam. Finish with lemon juice and zest.
- Step 6: For slow cooker use, sauté onion and garlic separately until golden. Add them to the slow cooker with beans, carrot, celery, water (or water and stock), but omit lemon for now. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add lemon juice and zest and cook for 5 extra minutes.
- Step 7: When using the Instant Pot slow cook function, sauté onion and garlic first. Add remaining ingredients except lemon juice and zest. Cook on slow cooker normal for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Finish with lemon before serving.
Tips & Variations
- Soaking the beans overnight helps reduce cooking time and improves digestibility.
- Swap cannellini beans for navy or great northern beans if preferred.
- Adding a splash of vegetable stock instead of all water enriches the flavor.
- For a creamier texture, lightly mash some of the beans before adding the vegetables.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for added freshness.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little water if it has thickened too much. This soup also freezes well—freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use canned beans instead of dried?
Yes, canned beans can be used for a quicker version. Reduce cooking time since canned beans are already cooked. Add them after sautéing the aromatics and simmer briefly to combine flavors.
How can I make this soup vegan?
This recipe is naturally vegan if you use vegetable stock or just water. Ensure your stock is plant-based, and avoid adding any animal products.
Print
Bean Soup with Garlic and Lemon Recipe
- Total Time: 14 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A hearty and flavorful bean soup featuring tender cannellini beans simmered with garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and brightened with fresh lemon zest and juice. This versatile recipe can be made on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or slow cooker, perfect for a comforting, nutritious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans
- 250 grams / 8.8 oz cannellini beans (or other small white beans), soaked in water overnight
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 carrot, cut into very thin slices
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
Liquids & Seasonings
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon zest + juice
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- OPTIONAL: 500 ml vegetable stock (can substitute 500 ml of water)
Instructions
- Prepare The Beans: Drain the soaked beans from the water they have been soaking in overnight.
- Parboil Beans: Half fill a cooking pot with water and add the drained beans. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, then drain the beans in a strainer.
- Stovetop Method: In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced onion and chopped garlic, cooking until softened and golden. Add the parboiled beans with 1.5 liters water or 1 liter water plus 500 ml vegetable stock, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid partially open, and simmer for about 2 hours until beans are tender.
- Vegetables & Seasoning: Stir in chopped celery and thinly sliced carrot. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens. Add lemon zest and juice, cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve, optionally adding extra fresh lemon and black pepper.
- Instant Pot Method: Using the sauté function, heat olive oil and cook the onion and garlic until golden and soft. Add the parboiled beans and remaining ingredients with 1.5 liters water or 1 liter water plus 500 ml vegetable stock. Close the lid and cook on manual pressure for 20 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 5-10 minutes, then vent steam and open lid. Stir in lemon zest and juice before serving.
- Slow Cooker Method: Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until golden in a skillet. Transfer sautéed aromatics to a slow cooker along with parboiled beans, carrot, celery, kosher salt, pepper, and 1.5 liters water or 1 liter water plus 500 ml vegetable stock. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours until beans and vegetables are tender. Add lemon zest and juice during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Instant Pot Slow Cook Function: Use sauté mode to cook onion and garlic in olive oil until golden. Add remaining ingredients except lemon zest and juice with your choice of water and stock. Close lid, select slow cook function on normal for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Stir in lemon zest and juice before serving.
Notes
- Soaking the beans overnight softens them and reduces cooking time.
- Parboiling beans before simmering improves texture and reduces cooking time.
- Using vegetable stock adds more depth of flavor but can be substituted with all water.
- Lemon zest and juice added at the end brighten the soup and balance the richness.
- Sautéing onions and garlic before adding to slow cooker enhances flavor significantly.
- Cooking times can vary depending on bean variety and age.
- Prep Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: bean soup, cannellini beans, garlic, lemon, vegetarian soup, healthy soup, Mediterranean soup, slow cooker soup, instant pot soup
