Brothy Carrot Butter Bean Soup (Print View)
A comforting brothy soup with sweet carrots, creamy butter beans, and savory herbs in every spoonful.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts sliced (optional)
→ Beans and Broth
06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) butter beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs and Seasonings
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves)
11 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
12 - ¾ tsp sea salt (more to taste)
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
→ Garnishes
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Zest of ½ lemon
16 - Freshly ground black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek (if using), celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Stir in the drained butter beans, bay leaf, dried thyme, and smoked paprika (if using). Season with sea salt and ground black pepper, tossing gently to coat everything evenly.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until the carrots are fork-tender.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Finish each serving with chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest, and an extra crack of black pepper.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It tastes like it simmered all day but barely asks for half an hour of your attention.
- Butter beans turn velvety and indulgent without a drop of cream in sight.
- The lemon zest on top is a quiet revelation that wakes up every spoonful.
02 -
- Underseasoning is the most common mistake with vegetable soups, so taste at the end and add salt in tiny pinches until the flavors snap into focus.
- Mashing a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot thickens the broth beautifully without needing a blender.
03 -
- Slice the carrots on a slight diagonal for maximum surface area, which helps them cook evenly and look elegant in the bowl.
- Let the soup rest off the heat for five minutes before serving, because patience makes the broth taste richer.