Savor the simple tastes of Spinach and White Bean Soup, a hearty soup that combines tender spinach leaves with soft white beans in a flavorful broth. This soup can easily be made in the Instant Pot or on the stove top.

Rustic bowls of spinach and white bean soup.

Minestrone Soup is another great recipe and easy dinner idea as well as this Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with pesto, a great soup with some of the best flavors to offer in a vegetable soup.

If you prefer to cook dried beans in the Instant Pot, this recipe for Instant Pot Great Northern Beans is easy to follow and an easy way to prepare dried beans.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients in Spinach and White Bean Soup
How to Make Spinach and White Bean Soup
How to Make Instant Pot Spinach and White Bean Soup
Substitutions for White Bean Soup with Spinach
Variations in White Bean Spinach Soup
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Quick to prepare - whether it's made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, it's a breeze to make
Full of flavor - with flavors of parsley, lemon, thyme, and vegetable broth, this light and refreshing soup is full of flavor.
Versatile for various diets (vegan option available) - With just a few small changes this soup can easily be a hearty vegan soup

A spoon in a bowl of spinach and white bean soup.

Ingredients in Spinach and White Bean Soup

Great Northern beans or cannellini beans
Jasmine rice
Onion
Vegetable broth
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Dried parsley
Garlic cloves
Dried thyme
Dried basil
Salt
Black pepper
Bay leaves
Fresh spinach

Tip: A garlic press is a great tool to easily mince garlic

See the recipe card for the full ingredients and instructions.

Two rustic bowls of Spinach and White Bean Soup with a bowl of cheese.

How to Make Spinach and White Bean Soup

To make this Spinach and White Bean soup recipe on the stove top, begin by heating the olive oil in a large pot over high heat.

Add the diced onion and saute until the onions are translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, parsley, thyme, and basil, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add in the vegetable broth and fresh lemon juice and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Drain and rinse the cans of beans then add the beans and rice and season with salt and pepper.

Top with the bay leaves.

Reduce the heat to a low simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid, remove each bay leaf, and stir in the fresh spinach.

Serve with extra spinach and Parmesan cheese if desired.

Side view of two bowls of soup with spinach and grated mozzarella.

How to Make Instant Pot Spinach and White Bean Soup

Saute the onion and garlic- This step can be skipped if chosen but sauteing these ingredients creates a richer flavor in the soup.

Set the Instant Pot to saute and add in the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute until fragrant and the onions are translucent.

Deglaze the pot- Pour in the vegetable broth and lemon juice. Deglaze the pot to remove any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the liner. Skipping this step will most likely result in a burn notice and the soup will not pressure cook.

Add the other ingredients- Add the jasmine rice and pour in the rinsed beans.

Add the seasonings- Top off with parsley, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Place two bay leaves on top.

Pressure cook the soup- Close the lid and pressure cook on HIGH pressure using MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes.

Naturally release pressure- Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the lid away from the face.

Add the spinach and serve- Once the lid is removed, discard the bay leaves. Set the pot to saute and stir in the spinach. Saute until the spinach begins to wilt, press cancel. Serve this Instant Pot Spinach and White Bean Soup with Parmesan cheese or make it Vegan by skipping out on the cheese.

A spoonful of grated parmesan over a bowl of spinach and white bean soup.

Substitutions for White Bean Soup with Spinach

Spinach - Swap out the spinach for kale, swiss chard, or collard greens depending on preference.

Beans - Great Northern Beans and Cannellini beans are excellent choices because they are creamy white beans but chickpeas (garbanzo beans), navy beans, pinto beans, and other kidney beans are delicious in this comforting soup.

Rice - Jasmine rice is used in this recipe but other rice varieties such as brown rice, quinoa, and barley are good choices. Make sure to adjust the cooking time depending on your grain of choice.

Broth - Vegetable broth is a great broth to use in this soup but chicken broth or chicken stock are good substitutions and other low-sodium broth options.

Seasonings - In place of individual seasonings, Italian seasoning can be used in their place.

Spinach - Fresh baby spinach, creamy spinach, or frozen chopped spinach can be used in this rice soup recipe.

Variations in White Bean Spinach Soup

For a thicker broth, use an immersion blender to blend the beans to give the soup a thicker consistency before stirring in the spinach.

To add more flavor, use red pepper flakes to add a bit of heat.

Adding white wine to the soup will add extra flavor.

A spoon lifted out of a bowl of white bean and spinach soup.

FAQ

Can Spinach and White Bean Soup be made vegan?

Spinach and white bean soup is naturally vegan. Simply leave out the Parmesan cheese and a delicious hearty vegan soup.

How do you thicken Spinach and White Bean Soup?

This soup can be thickened by using an immersion blender to blend the beans to create a thicker soup.

What can you serve with Spinach and White Bean Soup?

This bean soup pairs well with crusty bread and a side salad.

How long does Spinach and White Bean Soup last in the fridge?

When properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will last for up to 4 days.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Spinach and White Bean Soup

Name: Spinach and White Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 15 ounce can Great Northern Beans, drained; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 onion, diced; 4 cups vegetable broth; ¼ cup Jasmine rice, rinsed *; 1 teaspoon parsley; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon dried basil; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 bay leaves; 2 cups spinach

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 15 ounce can Great Northern Beans, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
4 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup Jasmine rice, rinsed *
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cups spinach

Instructions

Stovetop Spinach and White Bean Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat.
Add the diced onion and saute until the onions are translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic, parsley, thyme, and basil, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add in the vegetable broth and fresh lemon juice and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Drain and rinse the cans of beans then add the beans and rice and season with salt and pepper.
Top with the bay leaves.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid, remove each bay leaf, and stir in the fresh spinach.
Serve with extra spinach and Parmesan cheese if desired.

Instant Pot Spinach and White Bean Soup

Set the Instant Pot to Saute and add in the olive oil.
Add the diced onion and the garlic. Saute until fragrant and the onions are translucent.
Pour in the vegetable broth and lemon juice.
Deglaze the pot to remove any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the liner.
Rinse the rice and add it to the pot.
Pour in the drained beans.
Top off with parsley, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper.
Place two bay leaves on top.
Close the lid and pressure cook on HIGH pressure using MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes.
Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid away from the face.
Discard the bay leaves.
Set the pot to saute and add in the spinach.
Saute until the spinach begins to wilt, press cancel.
Serve with Parmesan if desired.

Notes

Rinse the rice before adding it to the pot. It helps get rid of the gummy texture that rice sometimes has when pressure-cooked and cooked on the stovetop.

* Brown rice substitute- Pressure cooker directions - Pressure cook on HIGH/PRESSURE COOK setting for 13 minutes instead of 4 minutes. Allow the same 10-minute natural release and proceed with the recipe as normal.