Cozy up with a bowl of warmth this winter with Garlic & Bacon Brothy White Bean Soup. This one-pot wonder combines tender white beans and savory bacon in a fragrant broth infused with garlic, shallot, rosemary, and thyme. Each spoonful is bursting with comforting flavors, making it the perfect choice for chilly evenings. Simple to prepare and rich in taste, this soup is sure to become a regular in your dinner rotation. Whether you’re craving something hearty or looking for an easy meal that delivers big on flavor, this dish will not disappoint.
Why You’ll Love it:
- Packed with Flavor: The combination of garlic, smoky bacon, and fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme creates a savory, aromatic broth that’s both rich and satisfying.
- Easy One-Pot Meal: With just one pot and simple ingredients, this recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, making cleanup a breeze.
- Hearty and Nourishing: The protein-packed white beans and flavorful broth offer a comforting, filling meal that’s both cozy and nutritious—ideal for chilly nights.
Ingredient Notes:
- Dried White Beans – Sturdy varieties like cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans hold up beautifully in this soup. They become tender yet firm, soaking up the rich broth and adding heartiness to every bite.
- Chicken Broth – A light yet flavorful base, chicken broth enhances the delicate flavors of the garlic and herbs. It’s the perfect choice for broth-based soups where the liquid takes center stage.
- Whole Head of Garlic – Simmering the garlic cloves whole allows them to soften and turn buttery, melting into the broth for a deep, aromatic flavor that complements the beans and bacon beautifully.
- Bacon – Smoky and salty, bacon adds depth and a satisfying crispness to contrast with the creamy beans and garlic-infused broth.
- Aromatics – A blend of shallot, fresh ginger, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and sage brings a fragrant, earthy note to the soup, creating layers of complex flavor.
- Salt and Pepper – Season to taste for a well-balanced finish that highlights the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Crusty Bread – Serve with slices of warm, crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth, making every bite even more comforting.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Beans – If you don’t have dried beans on hand, you can substitute with canned white beans like cannellini or Great Northern. Simply drain and rinse them, then add during the final 10 minutes of simmering.
- Vegetarian Option – To make this soup vegetarian, omit the bacon and substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth. For a smoky flavor without bacon, try adding a bit of smoked paprika or liquid smoke.
- Herbs – Fresh herbs bring out the best flavors, but if you’re short on fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage, you can substitute with dried versions. Use 1/3 the amount of dried herbs compared to fresh to avoid overpowering the broth.
- Broth – For a richer flavor, substitute part of the chicken broth with bone broth. If you’re looking for a lighter option, vegetable broth or water with a splash of soy sauce or miso paste can add depth without overpowering the garlic and herbs.
- Garlic Lovers – If you’re a garlic fan, try roasting the garlic before adding it to the soup. Roasting will add a caramelized sweetness that deepens the flavor even further.
- Extra Veggies – Add more nutrition and texture by incorporating vegetables like carrots, celery, or kale. Simply chop them and sauté with the aromatics at the beginning for extra depth.
How to Make Brothy Bean Soup:
- Soak the Beans – Place dried beans in a mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate and let soak overnight. This reduces cooking time and makes the beans easier to digest. When ready to cook, drain the beans.
- Prepare Bacon, Garlic, and Shallot – In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about a few minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Peel the garlic cloves and the shallot, then cut the shallot in half.
- Simmer – Pour chicken broth into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the drained beans, peeled garlic cloves, peeled shallot, a thumb-sized piece of ginger, rosemary sprig, sage leaves, bay leaves, and thyme sprig. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the chopped cooked bacon and continue simmering for an additional 20 minutes. Check the beans for tenderness, and season with salt and pepper as needed. If the beans are not yet tender, continue simmering, checking every 10 minutes until done.
- Finish & Serve – Carefully remove the herbs, shallot, and ginger, leaving the garlic cloves and bacon in the pot. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Cooking Tips & Recipe Notes:
- Bean Soaking: If you’re short on time, you can use the quick-soak method. Bring the beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, then let them sit, covered, for 1 hour. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
- Flavor Enhancements: For an extra depth of flavor, consider adding a splash of white wine or a Parmesan rind when simmering the broth.
- Adjusting Consistency: If you prefer a thicker soup, you can mash a portion of the beans with a spoon or blend a small amount of the soup and stir it back in.
- Make Ahead: This soup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors often improve after a day. It also freezes well for up to 3 months; just be sure to let it cool completely before freezing.
- Beans: Using dried beans requires planning but yields a richer texture and flavor. If using canned beans, reduce the cooking time and add them near the end of simmering to prevent them from becoming too soft.
More Soup & Stew Recipes You Will Love:
- Black Eyed Pea Stew
- Easy Spicy Sausage & White Bean Soup
- (The Best) Slow Cooker Chili
- Avgolemono (Creamy Greek Lemon Orzo Soup)
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Creamy Mushroom & Pearl Couscous Soup
- Easy Chickpea Noodle Soup
- Easy Wonton Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Italian Pasta & Beans)
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Garlic & Bacon Brothy Beans
Garlic & Bacon Brothy White Bean Soup – A comforting, one-pot soup featuring tender white beans simmered with crispy bacon, aromatic garlic, and fresh herbs. Perfect for cozying up on a chilly evening!
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried great northern beans
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 bulb garlic peeled
- 1 shallot peeled and split in half
- 1 thumb ginger
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig sage
- 2 strips bacon cooked and chopped
- Salt & pepper
- Crusty bread
Instructions
Soak the Beans
- Add dried beans to a mixing bowl and cover with cold water.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator and let the beans soak overnight. This will reduce cooking time and make the beans easier to digest.
- When ready to cook, drain the beans.
Prepare Bacon, Garlic, and Shallot
- Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium-high heat until crisp, about a few minutes per side.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Peel the garlic cloves and the shallot.
- Cut the shallot in half.
Simmer
- Pour chicken broth into a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Add the drained beans, peeled garlic cloves, peeled shallot, a thumb-sized piece of ginger, rosemary sprig, sage leaves, bay leaves, and thyme sprig.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add the chopped cooked bacon and continue simmering for an additional 20 minutes.
- Check the beans for tenderness and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- If the beans are not yet tender, continue simmering, checking every 10 minutes until done.
Finish & Serve
- Carefully remove the herbs, shallot, and ginger from the pot, leaving the garlic cloves and bacon.
- Serve the soup immediately with crusty bread.
Notes
- Canned Bean Method: Using dried beans requires planning but yields a richer texture and flavor. If using canned beans, reduce the cooking time and add them near the end of simmering to prevent them from becoming too soft.
- Quick-Soak Bean Method :If you’re short on time, you can use the quick-soak method. Bring the beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, then let them sit, covered, for 1 hour. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
- The nutritional values are estimated and should be adjusted based on the specific brands and quantities used. Crusty bread will add additional calories and nutrients, which should be factored in separately.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 13gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gFiber: 8gSugar: 2g
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
These sound amazing!! Any idea if the recipe is freezer friendly?
Thank you so much! I haven’t tried freezing this particular version, but I’ve frozen regular brothy beans (without the garlic and bacon) and it worked very well.
In the instructions it says to peel the garlic cloves, but the photo shows a whole head of garlic, chopped off at the top, but not fully peeled since the bulb is still in tact. Do you recommend separating the bulb and peeling each individual clove or leaving it as pictured?
Hi, Erica! You can do it either way. Personally, I like to eat the whole cloves in the soup so I peel them individually before they go into the pot. It makes it so much easier than trying to peel them after they’ve softened. To peel garlic quickly, there’s a great trick where you can put the individual unpeeled cloves into a mason jar or glass tupperware and vigorously shake them for 20-30 seconds. The skin basically falls off. But if you would like just the essence of garlic without whole cloves in your soup, you can just cut the top off of your bulb and peel most of the layers.
I want to make this right now ! Can I use canned beans so I don’t have to wait for them to soak?
Absolutely! Canned beans won’t need to simmer as long since they are already cooked. 15-20 minutes usually does the trick but generally no more than 30 or they will start to get mushy.
My soup is almost done ~10 minutes to go, but there’s hardly any broth, would love to have at least double this amount would you recommend increasing any of the ingredients ? My house smells amazing….
Thank you so much for making, Leah! I hope you enjoyed it! I’m so sorry for the delayed response, I had surgery this week and am just now catching up on messages.
Disappearing broth can happen for a few reasons:
– Beans have soaked up too much broth, which can happen more with certain types of beans or if they weren’t soaked long enough.
– Heat is too high and broth is evaporating
– Living in a high altitude area causes water to boil at lower temperatures, and will evaporate faster.
In any of these cases, adding more broth during cooking shouldn’t be an issue. If doubling the recipe, you can double the broth and beans, adding more broth as needed, and double your favorite aromatics, such as garlic or herbs.
I hope this helps!