Butter Bean Soup

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A summer side dish is not where I usually get soup inspiration, but here I use those bright flavors as a winter survival strategy. Corn and lima beans are the base of succotash. Here I use a cans of butter beans and sweet corn plus tomatoes, garlic and spices.

This soup gives butter beans the attention and they deserve. Black beans and white beans tend to hog the spotlight. Expand your soup rotation. You have plenty of time from fall to winter. Embrace that much-needed variety with beans.

Smoked paprika, cumin and minced garlic are flavor powerhouses in soup and stew recipes. These ingredients have permanent pantry status because a little goes a long way to add character and personality to recipes without much effort. This combination is what makes the soup smoky and savory.

The Ingredients

This is what you need:

• Butter beans are flat kidney shaped beans. They are the same as lima beans. The color depends on maturity. They go from green to white as they age. 
• Corn: The recipe calls for a 15-ounce can of sweet corn. You can use frozen corn. You don’t have to thaw it. Just keep in mind that it will take longer for the soup to get up to a simmer.
• Tomatoes: You will need a can of diced tomatoes. They can be fire-roasted tomatoes or regular ones that are packed with basil. 
• Tomato paste intensifies the tomato taste in the broth. I add it with the garlic and seasonings. 
• Smoked paprika, cumin, kosher salt and black pepper season the soup.
• Garlic: In addition to the dried spices, I also sauté 2 minced garlic cloves with the onions, carrots and celery.
• Lemon: After the soup finishes simmering, I squeeze in lemon juice for something zesty and bright. I am a big fan of doing this trick to soups and stews.
• Onions, carrots and celery: This trio, known as mirepoix, is the starting point for countless soups and sauces.
• Vegetable broth: I always use low sodium vegetable broth, so I can control the salt level in soups. If you don’t need the soup to be vegan, you can substitute with chicken broth.

Serving

This butter bean soup recipe is filling on its own, but you can serve it with something on the side:

• A piece of bread with a good crust that you can dip into the soup or a slice of focaccia.
• A sandwich: Grilled cheese is the obvious choice. Try this beet grilled cheese or apple grilled cheese. You can use plant-based cheese, so it is vegan.
• A salad: Try this lemon arugula salad, a classic house salad or an Italian chopped salad.

Leftovers & Storage

Let the bean soup cool to room temperature before storing it. Then you can pour it into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. The vegetables will soften the longer you save the soup. When freezing any soup or chili, I always portion it out into serving sizes, so it’s easier to thaw. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.