Carrot Butter Bean Soup (Printable)

Tender carrots and creamy butter beans in a fragrant herby broth—comforting, vegetarian, and ready in under an hour.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 and Broth

06 - 2 cans (14 oz each) butter beans (lima beans), drained and rinsed
07 - 5 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Herbs and Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme)
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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened but not browned.
02 - Add the minced garlic and stir continuously for 1 minute until fragrant and aromatic.
03 - Stir in the drained butter beans, vegetable broth, bay leaf, dried thyme, oregano, and smoked paprika if using. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the carrots are fork-tender and the flavors have fully developed.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the chopped parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and a light drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The lemon zest stirred in at the end wakes up every single flavor in the bowl without needing a heavy hand with salt.
  • Butter beans turn silky and almost creamy as they simmer, giving the soup a richness that feels indulgent without any cream.
  • From chopping board to ladle in under an hour, it fits into the chaos of a weeknight without breaking a sweat.
02 -
  • Rinsing canned butter beans thoroughly under cold water removes the starchy liquid that can cloud your broth and make it taste tinny.
  • Adding the lemon juice off the heat or at the very last moment preserves its bright, fresh character instead of cooking it into bitterness.
03 -
  • Slice your carrots on a slight diagonal instead of into perfect rounds because the uneven shape gives more surface area for the broth to flavor.
  • Use a vegetable broth you actually enjoy drinking on its own since it makes up the majority of the soup and its quality makes or breaks the final bowl.

Return