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
