This easy butter bean soup recipe is a delicious tomato based soup packed with vegetables that's both thick and filling!
If you're looking for a hearty soup for a cold winter day then look no further than this easy butter bean soup recipe.
This healthy vegan soup is a good source of protein, is low cost and can be adapted to easily suit most dietary needs.
Like my cheesy cauliflower and white bean soup it's made with a can of butter beans.
You can easily make this soup from nearly any type of white beans. Just see the list of suggested substitutions below.
The rest of the ingredients are cheap too or may be even ones that you already have to hand.
This butter bean soup is low in calories at just 185 calories per serving.
It's got a tasty tomato tang to it whilst it's also packed with lots of healthy chunky vegetables.
Although we mostly enjoy this recipe for lunch it is extremely filling and can also be served for dinner with some homemade crusty bread.
My other half loves it when I make this soup because it also makes the house smell amazing whilst it's on a low simmer on our stove top.
Make sure you add this soup to your list of comforting soups.
It's one that you'll be making again and again!
And if you enjoyed this butter bean soup then when not try my easy butter bean stew?
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Low Calorie Cooking Oil Spray or Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Carrots
- Frozen Peas
- Tomato Puree
- Paprika
- Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
- Tinned Butter Beans
- Vegetable Stock / Vegetable Broth
- Basil Leaves (optional for garnish)
- Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. But here is a quick step by step guide of how to make this easy butterbean soup recipe:
Step 1
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot.
Step 2
- Sauté onion and garlic.
Step 3
- Add the carrots and frozen peas.
Step 4
- Stir in the tomato puree and paprika.
Step 5
- Add the tinned tomatoes, drained butter beans and vegetable stock.
Step 6
- Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.
Step 7
- Season to taste and garnish with some torn basil leaves.
Substitutions
- Low Calorie Cooking Oil Spray or Olive oil - you could also use vegetable oil
- Onion - I use a brown onion but you could use shallots instead.
- Garlic Cloves
- Carrots - I use fresh but you can use tinned.
- Frozen Peas
- Tomato Puree - you can also use a thick tomato sauce.
- Paprika
- Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
- Tinned Butter Beans - cannellini beans or white kidney beans work too. You can also use dried beans. Check out FAQ's below.
- Vegetable Stock / Vegetable Broth
- Basil Leaves (optional for garnish)
- Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Equipment
For This Butter Bean Soup Recipe You May Need….
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product, I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through, then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
This is the set of pans I recommend for cooking with.
The set includes 16, 18, 20 cm saucepans, 1 x 14 cm milk pan and 1 x 24 cm fry pan.
The pans are suitable for all hobs including induction.
They come with a 1-year guarantee which can be extended to a 10-year warranty when you register the product.
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Are Butter Beans Good For You?
Yes butter beans are extremely good for you. See list below for more details :-
- They're packed with vitamins and minerals.
- Butter beans contain both soluble and insoluble fibre meaning they keep you fuller for longer.
- They give you energy as they're rich in complex carbohydrates.
- Butter beans are not fattening. They're low in calories and fat so make a great addition to your diet especially if you're on a weightloss diet.
- They can help lower cholesterol.
FAQ's
How To Store Butter Bean Soup?
The soup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 3 - 4 days maximum.
Can I Freeze This Soup?
Yes the soup can be transferred to an airtight container and frozen.
How Do I Reheat This Soup?
Allow soup to thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
I Only Have Dried Beans. Can I Use Them?
Yes. Cover the dry beans with cold water. Soak them overnight. Then drain and rinse them and cook them prior to adding them to this recipe.
Do I Have To Soak Butter Beans Before Cooking?
The great thing about canned beans is they are already pre-soaked. But if you are using dried beans you will have to soak them (see above).
Where Do Butter Beans Come From?
Butter beans come from South America. They are large and creamy tasting and can be used in many different dishes.
More Bean Soup Recipes For You To Try
📋 Easy Butter Bean Soup Recipe
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
Equipment
Ingredients
- Low calorie cooking oil spray or 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 90 g frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400 g tin butter beans drained and rinsed
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- A palm full of basil leaves
- Freshly Ground Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
- Spray the bottom of a large saucepan, about 5 times, with the low cal olive oil spray Turn on a high heat under the pot and wait until the oil bubbles, then turn down to a low heat or you could also use 1 tbsp. olive oil.
- Sauté onion until soft about 5 minutes then stir in the garlic and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add the carrots and frozen peas stir around for about 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato puree and paprika and stir around for about 1 minute.
- Add the tin of tomatoes, drained butter beans and vegetable stock.
- Bring the mixture to the boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
- Season to taste and garnish with some of the torn basil leaves.
Nutrition
Nutrition Label
Nutritional information provided below is calculated using paid for online tools and the exact ingredients and quantities used above.
Rate The Recipe
If you’ve made this canned butter bean soup recipe, or any other recipes on Neil's Healthy Meals, then please let me know.
I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂
angiesrecipes
The soup looks warming and comforting! I love the creaminess of butter beans. I just wish they love me back :-//
Neil
"Warming" and "Comforting" they are both two great words to describe this delicious recipe Angie! Thank you!
Chef Mimi
I love this! Butter beans are my husband’s favorite so I can’t wait to make this for him!
Neil
Thank you Mimi. Your husband is lucky for you to make this for him! 🙂
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Wonderful soup for the cold time of the year - filling yet not too heavy, hearty, and soul-warming. And the low cost is utterly important today when the groceries are getting ridiculously expensive every day now lol.
Neil
Thanks Ben. Yeah and tell me about the ridiculous prices nowadays. Every time I go into the supermarket everything seems to have gone up again! That's why I'm cooking every recipe nowadays with cost in mind first.
Michelle
A delicious and cozy soup for upcoming fall season! The butter beans add so much to the soup -- can't wait to give this one a try, Neil!
Neil
It feels as if though we're already in fall season here Michelle. Although I haven't had our heating on yet, it's definitely colder and feels like winter is near. Thanks for the comment. Hope you get a chance to make this and there will be more cozt soup recipes coming.
Sherry
i do love beans tho not so much the tomatoes. I don't mind them so much in a soup or stew so i could probably enjoy this soup! i do use capsicums instead in some dishes 🙂
Neil
It's a great bean soup Sherry. But it does have a tomato base so if you definitely don't like that tomato taste at all, I don't think this is the soup for you. But you could always give it a try?
Eloizabeth
Really nice recipe! Loved the flavour of the paprika through it. We had a bowl each with garlic bread and then had another bowl!All gone! Will be making it again. Its so easy. Thank you!
Neil
Thank you so much for taking the time to make and enjoy my recipe! Glad you like it. Thanks also for taking the time to rate and comment on it! 🙂
Shashi
185 Calories only per serving?! Wow so much flavor and nutritious goodness too! I simply love this soup recipe, Neil and cannot wait to try it - soups like this mean I can have an extra large slice of desserts like your dairy free cheesecake right? 😉
Thanks for this! Hope you and Mrs are doing so well!
Neil
Thank you Shashi. I'm very pleased with this recipe and the reaction that it's getting from everyone! Thank you so much for your kind comment. We are doing well over here and enjoying our slices of cheesecake too!
David @ Spiced
This sounds delicious, Neil! Laura and I were just talking this morning that it's about time to get back into soups...partly because it's getting chilly and partly to watch the calories before we head into the holiday season. This sounds like a great (and tasty!) option!!
Neil
Thanks David. You'll find this a great soup for the chilly season and also if you're calorie watching! Enjoy and thanks for the comment!
cheryl watson
Currently got this on the bubble, smells in the kitchen are amazing. Food prep day so this batch will be frozen for my lunches, got the ingredients ready for low fat creamy mushroom pasta which Im having for Sunday supper when Strictly comes on ! Just one more meal prep and I cant for the life of me remember which recipe it was but I've done the food shop so it will be here somewhere LOL
Neil
The butter bean soup is one I've had lots of positive emails about recently Cheryl, I think it might be the most popular soup I published this year, so I'm glad you've found it too! Weekends are for our meal prep for the week ahead too. Lots of soup made here as well as curry. We do love a curry on a Sunday evening! Hope you enjoyed your pasta! 🙂
John A.
Although I didn't have any basil to hand, I had a tin of cannellini beans to hand along with all the other ingredients so I thought I'd give this recipe a try. I do admit that I also added a rather cheeky ½ teaspoon of chilli powder, I couldn't resist (guilty as charged, your honour). The result, however, was a wonderfully satisfying soup with tons of flavour which I served with fresh bread - and I had two large portions left over for the freezer. I'll definitely give this recipe another try in the not too distant future - but with butter beans next time.
Neil
Cannellini beans are a good substitute for butter beans so would have worked well in this recipe, good choice John! And I too often put in a little chilli powder for me and my other half. So glad you like that too. Thanks again for trying out and rating and commenting on my recipe John. I apprecaite that. And all the best for 2023!