Roasted Garlic and White Bean Soup

Name: Roasted Garlic and White Bean Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 heads garlic heads, whole, whole, loose papery skin removed but cloves intact in head; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; to taste sea salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 whole (150 g) yellow onion, medium, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 1 can (14.5 oz) (410 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, drained and rinsed; 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable or chicken broth; 3 sprigs (5 g) fresh rosemary sprigs, whole sprigs; 1 leaf bay leaf; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic Italian-inspired soup built on the foundation of sweet roasted garlic and creamy white beans, with fresh rosemary and tomatoes brightening each spoonful. The garlic is roasted whole until mellow and spreadable, then pureed into the broth for silky depth. Finished with a drizzle of fruity olive oil and crusty bread, it's a warming, satisfying meal that comes together in under an hour.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 5 cups)

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 heads garlic heads, whole, whole, loose papery skin removed but cloves intact in head
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
to taste sea salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole (150 g) yellow onion, medium, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1 can (14.5 oz) (410 g) canned crushed tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, drained and rinsed
4 cups (960 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
3 sprigs (5 g) fresh rosemary sprigs, whole sprigs
1 leaf bay leaf
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

Equipment (6)

Large oven-safe skillet or baking dish (10-inch / 25 cm)
Large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart / 4.7 L)
Fine-mesh sieve or slotted spoon
Wooden spoon or ladle
Immersion blender (or regular blender)
Sharp knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C)
Gather all ingredients and have them measured and prepped before you start
Use good-quality olive oil—it becomes the final flavor note in this simple soup

1
Roast the garlicOven 400°F / 205°C
- Cut the top ¼ inch (0.5 cm) off each garlic head to expose the cloves.
- Place both heads cut-side up in a 10-inch (25 cm) oven-safe skillet or baking dish.
- Drizzle with 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper.
- Roast in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 20 minutes, until the exposed cloves are golden and very soft.
- The garlic will release a mellow, sweet aroma.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Garlic cloves are deep golden, very tender, and squeeze out of their skin easily
Tip: Don't peel the garlic yet—roast it in the head. The skin holds in steam and keeps the cloves moist.
2
Prepare the aromatics
- While the garlic roasts, dice the onion and celery into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Have them ready in separate bowls.
3
Sauté the vegetables
- Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed 5-quart (4.7 L) pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the diced onion and celery, stirring occasionally.
- Cook for 5–6 minutes, until the onion is softened and translucent and the celery is fragrant but still has a slight bite.
- Do not brown them.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft; celery is fragrant
Tip: Keep the heat at medium so the vegetables soften gently without browning.
4
Add tomatoes and broth
- Pour the canned crushed tomatoes (with juices) directly into the pot with the softened vegetables.
- Stir well to coat everything, then add 4 cups (960 ml) of vegetable or chicken broth.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- The liquid should be hot but not boiling vigorously.
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Ready when: Liquid is steaming; small bubbles break the surface
Tip: Stir the tomatoes well so they distribute evenly and break down slightly.
5
Add beans and aromatics
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pot (you should have about 24–30 soft cloves total; discard the papery skins).
- Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, the fresh rosemary sprigs, the bay leaf, and the red pepper flakes (if using).
- Stir gently to combine.
- Return to a gentle simmer.
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Tip: Squeeze the roasted garlic straight into the pot. It will fall apart into creamy, sweet cloves.
6
Simmer and blend
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup uncovered for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Then use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, working in 2–3 pulses so that the beans and garlic break down and thicken the broth, but the soup remains chunky with some whole beans visible.
- If using a regular blender, carefully transfer half the soup in batches to the blender (let it cool slightly first), blend until creamy, and return to the pot.
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Ready when: Soup is thickened slightly and smells aromatic; beans are starting to break down
Tip: Blend just enough to add creaminess—you want texture, not a smooth puree. If too thick, add a splash of broth.
7
Finish with seasoning and oil
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Fish out and discard the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf using a slotted spoon.
- Stir in 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper as needed.
- The soup should taste bright, savory, and gently peppery.
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Tip: The lemon juice wakes up the flavors. Taste before adding it—you may need to adjust salt too.
8
Serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls.
- Drizzle each serving with about ½ tbsp (7 ml) of the finishing extra-virgin olive oil.
- Serve hot with crusty bread for soaking up the broth.
- The olive oil creates a silky, luxurious finish and brings out the sweetness of the roasted garlic.
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Tip: Use a good-quality olive oil for the final drizzle—it's the last taste and deserves to shine.

Good to know

Tips

Roasting garlic whole mellows its bite completely—the cloves become sweet, creamy, and almost buttery. It's the secret to this soup's depth.
Partial blending adds a subtle creaminess from the broken beans without making the soup feel heavy. You should still see whole beans.
Do not skip the finishing olive oil. It's not a garnish; it rounds out the flavors and adds a silky mouthfeel that makes the soup feel restaurant-quality.
This soup freezes beautifully. Freeze it in individual portions in ice cube trays, then pop them into a freezer bag for quick reheating on weeknights.

Make ahead

You can make this soup up to 2 days ahead. Roast the garlic, prepare the soup, cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently over medium-low heat before serving (the broth may thicken further as it sits; add a splash of broth or water to loosen). Do not add the finishing olive oil until just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (freeze before adding the finishing oil); thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. The soup will thicken slightly when frozen; thin with additional broth if needed.

Substitutions

canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed → great northern beans or navy beans. Both are mild, creamy white beans that work the same way. Use the same quantity. The soup will be slightly less buttery with navy beans.
fresh rosemary sprigs → 1 tsp (3 g) dried rosemary. Dried rosemary is stronger, so use about one-third the amount. Stir it in with the broth for better flavor distribution.
canned crushed tomatoes → 1 lb (450 g) fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped. Use ripe tomatoes in season. You may need to simmer an extra 5–10 minutes for the fresh tomatoes to break down and release their flavor.
vegetable or chicken broth → chicken broth or a mixture of broth and pasta water. Chicken broth adds richness and is equally good. Pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta separately) adds starch and body.