This turnip and white bean soup is a smooth, earthy soup with lots of turnips and white beans. The white beans make this soup creamy and hearty while turnips bring and earthy sweetness which all blends together into a rich and flavorful meal that stores well. This soup is perfect for those looking for a vegan soup, gluten free soup, or easy winter soup!
If you’re looking for more hearty soup recipes, try this red lentil coconut soup!
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I was never a huge fan of turnips until this soup! It pairs so well with the white beans and they come together for a delicious flavor!
I love that the soup can come together in under an hour and it’s a great meal prep option because it stores well.
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss my tips further down and the step-by-step instructions with pictures!
PrintTurnip And White Bean Soup
This turnip and white bean soup is hearty, comforting, and easy to make! A wholesome, plant-based recipe perfect for a cozy fall or winter dinner.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 tbsp/15ml olive oil
1 medium/150g yellow onion, diced
2 cloves/10g garlic, minced
1 lg/100g celery rib, diced
2–3 medium/12 oz/340g turnips, peeled and diced
1 tsp/1g dried thyme
½ tsp/1g ground black pepper
1 2/3 cups/280g cooked white beans, drained
4 c/950ml vegetable broth
½ tsp/3g salt
1–2 tbsp/15-30ml lemon juice
Zhoug sauce, chimichurri, or pesto to serve
Instructions
Dice the onion. Peel and mince the garlic.
Dice the celery. Peel and dice the turnips. The more finely the vegetables are chopped, the faster they will cook.
Heat oil in medium to large (2qt minimum) heavy bottomed pot on medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, and celery. Cook, stirring regularly for 7-10 minutes until just starting to caramelize. Does not need to get fully browned.
Add diced turnip, thyme, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the edges are softened.
Add the white beans and broth. Stir to loosen anything stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until turnips are very soft. Cook time will depend on how small the vegetables are diced.
Remove from heat. If using an immersion blender: Blend in the pot until very smooth. If using a standard blender, allow to cool before blending in batches. Return to pot and reheat.
Add lemon juice and salt to taste.
Serve garnished with a swirl of zhoug sauce or chimichurri or pesto if you don’t like cilantro.
Ingredients and Substitutions for This Turnip and White Bean Soup
How To Make Turnip And White Bean Soup
Dice the onion. Peel and mince the garlic.
Dice the celery. Peel and dice the turnips. The more finely the vegetables are chopped, the faster they will cook.
Heat oil in medium to large (2qt minimum) heavy bottomed pot on medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, and celery. Cook, stirring regularly for 7-10 minutes until just starting to caramelize. Does not need to get fully browned.
Add diced turnip, thyme, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the edges are softened.
Add the white beans and broth. Stir to loosen anything stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until turnips are very soft. Cook time will depend on how small the vegetables are diced.
Remove from heat. If using an immersion blender: Blend in the pot until very smooth. If using a standard blender, allow to cool before blending in batches. Return to pot and reheat.
Add lemon juice and salt to taste.
Serve garnished with a swirl of zhoug sauce or chimichurri or pesto if you don’t like cilantro.
This soup stores well and the flavors are even better the next day as they have time to mellow. Perfect for freezing in serving size portions to be reheated later.
Stacie’s Tips
This recipe is gluten free as written but some images show rosemary and olive focaccia as a serving suggestion.
Can be made with an immersion blender or in a standard blender. Both will yield a smooth, velvety soup.
The amount of extra salt required will depend on the saltiness of your vegetable broth. Homemade broths will typically require extra salt added. If you use unsalted homemade broth, add 1 tsp/6g salt with the rest of the spices so that it has time to cook into the broth.
More Hearty Soups
Sweet Potato Lentil Stew– While technically a stew and not a soup, this sweet potato lentil stew still deserves a place here. It’s heart, full of protein, and tastes incredible. It is vegan, gluten free, and soy free.
Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup– A comforting, hearty meal that works beautifully as a comfort soup recipe. With tender wild rice, sautéed mushrooms, and a thick, chowder-style broth, this vegan and gluten free main dish soup delivers richness without dairy, nuts, or soy.
