3-Ingredient White Bean Tomato Soup
I make this soup when the fridge is empty and I don’t feel like cooking. It’s just crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, and vegetable broth simmered together and blended smooth. The beans give it a surprisingly creamy texture, so you don’t need any cream.
The white beans do most of the work here. When you blend them in, the soup turns thick and creamy without any dairy, so it stays plant-based. It still tastes like regular tomato soup, just a bit heartier.
A grilled cheese on the side can make this into a full dinner, but a piece of toast and a drizzle of olive oil works just as well!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This white bean tomato soup is:
- made with just 3 main ingredients
- creamy without heavy cream
- quick and easy
- pantry-friendly
- vegetarian and vegan-friendly, depending on toppings
- ready in about 25 minutes
- great with grilled cheese or crusty bread
- freezer-friendly
It’s also flexible: blend it completely smooth for a classic creamy tomato soup feel, or reserve some of the beans and stir them in after blending for more texture.
How Do White Beans Make Tomato Soup Creamy?
White beans are soft, mild, and naturally starchy, so when they’re blended into soup, they help thicken the liquid and create a creamy texture without actually needing to add cream.
Cannellini beans are especially nice here because they’re mild and creamy, so they don’t overpower the tomatoes. Great Northern or navy beans can also work as alternatives, so don’t sweat it if you can’t specifically find cannellini beans.
Is This Really Only 3 Ingredients?
Yes! The base of this soup is really just:
- crushed tomatoes
- white beans
- vegetable broth
That said, because the ingredient list is so short, the quality of each ingredient does matter. A flavorful vegetable broth can do a lot of heavy lifting, and fire-roasted crushed tomatoes can add extra depth if you can find them (it’s not a must though).
Ingredients You’ll Need
Crushed tomatoes. Use one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes. Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes are great if you want a little more depth, but regular crushed tomatoes work too.
Cannellini beans. Use one 15-ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. These blend into the soup to make it creamy without adding cream.
Vegetable broth. Use 1½ cups vegetable broth, preferably a flavorful seasoned broth. Since this soup only has three ingredients, broth is one of the biggest flavor variables!
How to Make White Bean Tomato Soup
Step 1 – Decide whether to reserve some of the beans.
For a fully smooth tomato soup, blend all of the beans into the soup. For a heartier texture, reserve about ½ cup of the white beans before simmering (this is what I did). Then stir them into the blended soup at the end.
Step 2 – Simmer the soup.
Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining white beans, and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3 – Blend until creamy.
Remove the soup from the heat and carefully blend until smooth using an immersion blender. Or transfer the soup to a blender and puree until creamy.
Step 4 – Stir in reserved beans, if using.
If you reserved whole beans, stir them into the blended soup and return to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through. This is optional but I think it’s totally worth it for the added texture.
Step 5 – Taste and serve.
Taste before serving (of course). If your tomatoes and broth are both low in sodium, you might need to add a little extra salt to taste.
Fully Blended vs. Partially Blended
There are two ways to make this soup:
Fully blended: Blend all the beans into the soup. You’ll get the smoothest texture, and it’ll taste the most like a classic creamy tomato soup.
Partially blended: Set aside about ½ cup of the beans, blend the rest, and stir the whole beans back in at the end. It’s heartier this way, and you can actually see the beans in it.
I usually go with the added texture, but if you like it silky smooth, try it fully blended.
Best Toppings for White Bean Tomato Soup
This soup is simple, so toppings can really make it shine. Try:
- freshly ground black pepper
- basil or parsley
- grated Parmesan
- drizzle of olive oil
- red pepper flakes
- croutons
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- grilled cheese or toasted bread
Tips for the Ultimate Soup
- Use a good broth. With only three ingredients, the broth carries a lot of the flavor. A well-seasoned vegetable broth means you don’t need additional ingredients like onions or garlic.
- Stick with crushed tomatoes. They blend quickly and give you the smoothest soup. Whole peeled tomatoes will work if that’s what you have, but they take more blending.
- Try fire-roasted tomatoes. If you can find fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, they add a slightly smoky, deeper flavor. Regular ones are great too though!
- Thin it out if needed. 1½ cups of broth should give you a soup that’s creamy but still easy to eat with a spoon. If it’s too thick, add more broth, about ¼ cup at a time.
- Salt before anything else. If the soup tastes flat, it probably just needs salt, especially if your broth is more mild. Try that before other seasonings.
Easy Variations
- Make it more filling. Stir in a second can of drained white beans after blending, or add a handful of spinach and let it wilt.
- Make it spicy. Top it with red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil.
- Make it cheesy. Grate some Parmesan over the top, or go classic and serve it with grilled cheese.
- Make it herby. Finish it with fresh basil or parsley, or swirl in a spoonful of pesto.
Storage and Freezing
Since there’s no cream in this soup, it keeps really well and doesn’t separate, which also makes it a great one to freeze. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw it overnight in the fridge and warm it on the stove or in the microwave. The beans will thicken it a bit as it sits, so add a splash of broth if you need to loosen it up.
FAQ
Can you make tomato soup creamy without cream? Yes! Blending white beans into the soup gives it a creamy texture with no dairy at all.
What beans are best for tomato soup? I like cannellini beans because they’re mild and blend up really smooth. Great Northern or navy beans work too.
Can I use regular crushed tomatoes instead of fire-roasted? Definitely. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a little smokiness, but regular crushed tomatoes taste great.
Can I use whole peeled tomatoes? You can, but you’ll need to blend a little longer. Crushed tomatoes are the easiest since they break down so quickly.
Can I make this soup ahead of time? It’s a great make-ahead soup and keeps well in the fridge or freezer. It’ll thicken as it sits, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it.
What should I serve with white bean tomato soup? You can’t go wrong with grilled cheese. If you want something lighter, a simple green salad or some toasted bread is plenty.
More 3-Ingredient Recipes
If you like keeping things simple, here are a few more recipes that only need three ingredients:
- Easy 3-Ingredient Tomato Soup with Canned Tomatoes. This is my original tomato soup, made with onion instead of beans. It’s lighter and tastes more like a traditional tomato soup.
- Homemade Whole Wheat Bread. It’s just flour, yeast, and salt, and there’s no kneading. A thick slice is great for dipping into this soup!
- 3-Ingredient Vegan Pancakes. These are made with bananas, oats, and nondairy milk, all blended together.
- 3 Ingredient Flourless Brownies. Bananas, nut butter, and cocoa powder are all you need for these tasty brownies.
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Glaze. This one takes a few minutes to whisk together and works on cookies, cakes, and brownies.
For even more ideas, check out my full roundup of easy healthy recipes with 3 ingredients or less.
3-Ingredient White Bean Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28-oz, preferably fire-roasted if available
- 1 can cannellini beans, 15-oz, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups vegetable broth, preferably a flavorful seasoned broth
Instructions
- Reserve about ½ cup of the white beans if you want some whole beans in the finished soup. For an entirely smooth tomato soup, there’s no need to reserve any.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining white beans, and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and carefully blend until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender and puree until creamy.
- If you reserved whole beans, stir them into the blended soup and return to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through.
- Taste and serve. If your tomatoes and broth are both particularly low in sodium, season with a pinch of salt if needed.
