This is my French onion Butter Bean Soup and it is hands down the best version of butter bean soup I've ever made. You've got caramelised sweet white onions with hints of garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, combined with the meaty butter beans. We've then topped the soup with baguette and grated cheese, and grilled until golden and bubbling. It's made all in one pan...I really hope you enjoy it.
I grew up in the South of France, meaning French onion soup is in my veins. I also love butter beans. They are a wonderfully plump, super meaty, and delicious bean that are great in a soup. So, I decided to combine two of my favourite things into one: butter beans and French onion soup.
For more butterbean recipes, check out my spinach and butterbean curry or my simple boursin pie - both great for weeknight meals.
Fancy more French onion inspired recipes? Have a look at my French onion cottage pie recipe or my French onion soup chicken casserole.
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About Emily's Recipe
If you're new here, hi! I'm Emily - a recipe developer, food content creator, and cookbook author! Thanks for stopping by to check out my butter bean soup recipe. I really hope you enjoy it and please do let me know in the comments if you give it a go!
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Texture: the onions are soft and butter beans meaty and hearty. You've then got slightly crunchy pieces of baguette that have been grilled with cheese.
Taste: hearty, sweet, caramelised, beefy, brothy deliciousness. It's like a hug in a bowl.
Ease: this recipe just requires patience. The onions need time to soften and caramelise, so if you're happy with that, then this recipe is for you!
Top Tips: 1. be patient! 2. use good quality wine, beef stock, and butterbeans 3. the longer you leave to cook, the better the flavours.
Would I make this again? every day.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Onions: we're using white onions for this recipe. Don't use onion powder, and I wouldn't recommend using any other colour onion either, as the flavour will differ!
Garlic: fresh garlic cloves are best for this recipe. You don't have to use them, but I love the flavour they add!
White wine: you can either use white wine or a white wine stock pot. I love Knorr products!
Beef stock: I used 1 beef stock cube with 500ml water. But if you have fresh or homemade beef broth, that would be great!
Herbs: we're using fresh or dried thyme, and bay leaves for this recipe!
Butterbeans: try and find the best butterbeans you can. Big plump juicy ones! I love the bold bean company products! If you're looking for another type of bean, cannelini beans or borlotti beans would work well!
Baguette: French baguette is perfect for this recipe. But any kind of bread works!
Cheese: traditionally, you'd use gruyère cheese, but you can also use cheddar cheese for the topping!
Garnish: we're sprinkling on some chives for garnish. You could also add chopped parsley!
The full list of ingredients and quantities is at the bottom of this blog in the recipe card!
Step by step instructions with photos
Step 1: Place a saucepan on medium heat and drizzle in olive oil and butter. Leave to melt and then add in all of your sliced onions. Fry on medium heat for 20-30 minutes until softened, caramelised, and turned a light brown. Stir frequently to avoid burning the onions. Then add in the sliced garlic and fry for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Next up, pour in the white wine, beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, and butter beans. Stir and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Then taste and season accordingly.
Step 3: Once butter bean soup has thickened, developed in flavour, and is seasoned to your desired preferences, divide between your bowls and top with chunks of baguette and grated cheese. Grill for 5-10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Step 4: Remove from the grill and top with sliced chives. Serve up and enjoy!
Step 5: If you want to skip the grilling part of this butter bean soup recipe, then just serve up your soup into bowls and top with chives!
What to do with leftovers
Storage: leave the butter bean soup to cool, then place into airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: once again, leave to cool, then place in airtight containers (don't forget to label with contents and the date), store in freezer for up to 3 months. Leave to thaw/defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: you can either reheat in the microwave (leave the lid ajar) or pour into a saucepan and gently reheat on the stovetop / hob for 10 minutes until piping hot.
FAQs
For sure! Simply replace the beef stock with vegetable stock. Then use a vegan plant-based cheese as a garnish instead of the gruyere/cheddar!
Make sure to use gluten-free bread, and then you're good to go!
I love eating it with bread, but it would also go really well with pasta!
More recipes you might enjoy!
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Butter Bean Soup (The Best Version)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 75 g lightly salted butter
- 3 white onions or 4 small white onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 75 ml white wine or one white wine stock pot
- 500 ml beef broth 1 beef stock cube + 500ml water
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried or fresh
- 2 bay leaves
- 400 g butter beans
- 1 baguette sliced into bitesized cubes
- 4 tablespoon grated cheese gruyere or cheddar
- 5 g chives finely sliced
Instructions
- Place a saucepan on medium heat and drizzle in olive oil and butter. Leave to melt and then add in all of your sliced onions. Fry on medium heat for 20-30 minutes until softened, caramelised, and turned a light brown. Stir frequently to avoid burning the onions.
- Then add in the sliced garlic and fry for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Next up, pour in the white wine, beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, and butter beans. Stir and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Then taste and season accordingly.
- Once butter bean soup has thickened, developed in flavour, and is seasoned to your desired preferences, divide between your bowls and top with chunks of baguette and grated cheese. Grill for 5-10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Remove from the grill and top with sliced chives. Serve up and enjoy!
- If you want to skip the grilling part of this butter bean soup recipe, then just serve up your soup into bowls and top with chives!
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