Description
A creamy, savory soup that’s family-friendly and diabetic-friendly. Perfect for busy weekdays when you want something wholesome without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups dried great northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and sorted
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste (add at the end)
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Dice onion, chop carrots and celery, and mince garlic. Uniform size ensures even cooking.
- Combine Base Ingredients: Add sorted and rinsed dried beans to slow cooker with prepared vegetables. Pour in broth and add bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir gently to distribute seasonings evenly.
- Cook to Perfection: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Beans should be tender but not mushy when done.
- Finish and Serve: Remove bay leaf and stir in fresh spinach or kale, olive oil, and lemon juice. Taste and add salt if needed.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding a Parmesan rind while cooking or topping with fresh parsley before serving. If short on time, substitute dried beans with 4 cans of low-sodium white beans, adding them during the last hour of cooking. Do not add salt until the end as it can toughen beans during cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 6g
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 15g