THE BEST WHITE BEAN SOUP (2024)

FAQs

What is the best tasting white bean? ›

Cannellini Beans are mild in flavor, with a light, nutty taste. They're probably the most beloved bean among home chefs, as they're the typically featured bean in the ever-popular Minestrone Soup.

Cannellini beans are the largest of the group and because of their traditional kidney shape, they can also be referred to as White Kidney Beans. Meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor and tender flesh, and are often used in Italian dishes like Minestrone.

What Are White Beans? White beans as a category includes navy beans, great northern beans, cannellini beans, baby lima beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, etc. These are the most popular types of white beans (cooked white beans), however each type has its own unique peculiarities and features.

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? In this recipe, what really thickens up the soup is the 15 oz of white beans that you are mashing and the starches from the potatoes. We aren't using cornstarch or a thickening agent in this recipe, it really doesn't need it!

"The difference between the two rests primarily with the heartiness of the cannellini over the northern," explains Vince Hayward, the president of Camellia Brand beans. "Because of the thicker skin, and slightly bolder bean taste, the cannellini lends itself better towards soups and stews," Hayward adds.

Baby Lima Beans: Also called butterbeans, are small and creamy with a buttery texture. I love them, especially, in a mashed white bean dip.

All beans are rich in fiber, but the top-ranking variety is the navy bean, allegedly named for its popularity in the U.S. Navy in the early 20th century. These pea-sized, cream-colored beans provide 10 grams of fiber per half-cup serving.

Cannellini beans are high in fibre and contain vitamin C as well as magnesium, a mineral that helps our muscles to function properly. Chickpeas are a good source of fibre and contain more than 10 different micronutrients, including copper, which keeps our skin and hair healthy.

Cannellini Beans are larger and heartier than Great Northerns and are sometimes referred to as “white kidney beans” because of their traditional kidney shape. You'll often find them mixed with pinto beans.

Cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans) Baby lima beans (also called butterbeans)

What are white beans with black spots called? ›

It is a subspecies of the cowpea, an Old World plant domesticated in Africa, and is sometimes simply called a cowpea. Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. The common commercial variety is called the California Blackeye; it is pale-colored with a prominent black spot.

Broth. If you're not using the ham bone, chicken broth will help add flavor to your soup.

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

Simple method with things I'd almost guarantee you have in your kitchen - take two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of flour; mix it into a “paste” like consistency, then mix it into your soup until it dissolves. Your soup will be thicker and creamier.

America's favorite bean is pinto beans, according to the U.S. Dry Beans Council, often used to make refried beans. Navy beans, Great Northern beans, red kidney beans and black beans round out the rest of the top five.

Soybeans: Soybeans are the most widely consumed type of bean in the world. They are used in a wide range of foods, including soy milk, tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy sauce. Soybeans are also used as animal feed and in the production of biodiesel.

Did you know that pinto beans are the most consumed beans in the United States? The popular Pinto (Spanish for “painted”) bean has a mottled brown and pink surface that, when cooked, becomes a uniform auburn color.

Navy beans excel in hearty and prolonged cooking, while great northern beans shine in delicate and shorter cooking applications. However, both beans offer versatility and can be used interchangeably in various recipes, depending on personal preference and availability—many people with not notice the subtle differences.