Carrot Butter Bean Soup (Printable Version)
Creamy butter beans and sweet carrots in a herby, lemon-kissed broth for a comforting bowl of warmth.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
→ Beans & Broth
06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) butter beans (lima beans), drained and rinsed
07 - 5 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 bay leaf
→ Flavorings & Herbs
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
14 - Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
# How to Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Stir in the butter beans, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and smoked paprika if using. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the carrots are fork-tender and the flavors have melded together.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the chopped parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra parsley and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The broth alone is worth making this for, bright from lemon and deeply savory from thyme and oregano without any cream or heaviness.
- Butter beans turn silky and almost buttery as they simmer, making every spoonful feel indulgent even though the soup is remarkably light.
- It comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have tucked away in your pantry.
02 -
- Do not skip the lemon juice at the end because without it the broth tastes flat and one dimensional, I learned this the hard way after serving a batch without it and wondering why it felt like something was missing.
- Simmering uncovered is key, covering the pot traps too much steam and dilutes the flavor so you end up with a watery broth instead of a concentrated savory one.
03 -
- Taste your vegetable broth before you start cooking because some brands are wildly salty while others are nearly flat, and this determines how you season the rest of the pot.
- Grate the lemon zest directly into the pot off the heat so the essential oils do not evaporate before they have a chance to perfume the broth.