Hearty Spinach and White Bean Soup with orecchiette pasta! This healthy soup is a filling and perfect mid-week meal that can be ready in less than 30 minutes!
This soup, a full flavor meatless meal is made with staples that you probably already have in your pantry!
Tasty soups are probably one of my favorite meals to eat during the fall. I love the comfort of a warm bowl of soup to fill my belly. It’s not quite chilly here in California. In fact, it’s still pretty summery, but that never stops me from craving soup!
I made this soup during the week one evening after work and a trip to the gym. I wanted real food, something light on the stomach, but a meal that was still satisfying! This soup hit the spot! I added the pasta at the last minute. That was a good decision!
I had the Italian pasta orecchiette in my pantry, which added some substance to the soup. The pasta is shaped like a small disk, apparently resembling a small ear, hence the name orecchiette (little ears).
Eating little ears doesn’t sound appealing to me, and most won’t know the meaning of the Italian word, so no problem, but it sure would be fun to serve up some ears for an easy Halloween meal don’t you think?!  😉
Add the spinach the last couple of minutes of cooking or cook just until it wilts. I’ve made this soup with kale too, so if you are a fan, add kale while it’s simmering. Unlike the spinach that only requires a quick blanch, the kale needs a little time to soften up.
Spinach and White Bean Soup
Light vegetable broth with orecchiette pasta and cannellini beans. this vegetarian soup is delicious for a lunch or a light dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups Orecchiette pasta
- 1 15 ounce cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
- 4 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
Instructions
- In a large saucepan cook carrot, celery and onion in hot olive oil over medium-high heat until softened and fragrant (about 3 minutes).
- Add broth, beans, diced tomatoes and pasta. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and add spinach. Stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 516Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 8gSugar: 4gProtein: 44g
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
Pegi Chomos
I ran off a copy of your Spinach and White Bean soup. Bravo,
excellent, lets see more soups, some using Tofu would be
a big help.
I thank you and so does my husband!
Cheers Pegi Chomos
Sandra Shaffer
Thank you, Pegi! What a nice comment! Thank you for stopping by. I’ll keep your request for tofu recipes in mind!
Anne
Looks yummy…but one question: There is no mention of the Oreccheitte pasta in the directions. Is it added near the beginning or do you cook it separately and add at the end? Is it 2 cups of cooked or dry pasta?
Sandra Shaffer
Hi Anne! Whoops, left that detail out! I use dry pasta and add it with the broth and tomatoes. I updated the instructions. Thank you for asking!
Sarah @ The Chef Next Door
This looks so hearty and delicious, and perfect for Fall!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks, Sarah. Soup is one of my favorite dishes to serve in the fall. So warm and tasty!
Sandra Shaffer
The cooler weather is right around the corner!
Jessica (Savory Experiments)
I love all the ingredients in this soup, especially cannellini beans! I can’t wait to try it, fall is the perfect time for soups!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks, Jessica! Makes me want to cuddle up with a bowl of soup and a good book when I think of the fall 🙂
Aunt Bee
I love beans and greens in soup! Spinach and white bean is one of my favorites!
Sandra Shaffer
White beans are mild and filling. Great to add to soups and you get so much extra vitamins with the spinach!
Sandy Smith
This looks delicious!
Sandra Shaffer
Thank you, Sandy! I appreciate you stopping by:)
Sandra Shaffer
It’s a great combination for soup and you can a few other ingredients depending on what you have available. So versatile and tasty!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks!
Healing Tomato
WoW! This is an awesome recipe.
Sandra Shaffer
Thank you, Rini! I think I’ll be taking the last bit with me for my lunch tomorrow.
Norma Chang
My kind of soup. My fall spinach is not yet ready but I do have kale. Bet this would be good with bok choy too.
Sandra Shaffer
Ohhh, yes, boo choy would be delicious in this soup. I think a combination of the three would be great too!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
I love soup…even better if it’s easy to make! We’ll be trying it, but it looks like a keeper!
Sandra Shaffer
This soup takes no time to put together. Perfect for busy evenings!
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)
YUM, this sounds amazing!
Sandra Shaffer
Thank you, Cindy! It’s easy and tasty. Definitely a keeper 🙂
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets)
This soup looks wonderful…and soup can be hard to photograph. Great job!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks, Sandi! Yes, definitely had several photos that would never make the blog cut 😉
Debi @ Life Currents
This looks so good! Healthy and yummy! I love it! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sandra Shaffer
Glad you like it Debi. It always feels good to have your last meal be filled with good for you nutrients!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
I am a carnivore by nature and by medical procedure now too, but this soup doesn’t need the meat at all. I love it. I love little ears too!
Sandra Shaffer
hee-hee, the ears are growing on me. They are kind of cute 😉
Prudy | butter, basil, and breadcrumbs
Hi Sandra! This looks so delicious. It looks so rich and flavorful, that it would be hard for anyone to believe that it came together in less than 30 minutes! A perfect meal to throw together after work….or better yet, a perfect lunch to throw together in the morning before work. Pour it into a lunch container, and you’re all set!! LOVE this!! I can’t wait to share it with my daughter…she’s always looking for lunch ideas!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks so much, Purdy, you just gave me a great idea to pack this in a thermos! Now I’m going be be thinking of other warm foods to pack for lunch 🙂