This butter bean soup is creamy, comforting and filling, but there isn't any cream in it. Canned butter beans and their starchy liquid are blended with carrots, shallots and stock to make a silky smooth soup that's ready in just 20 minutes. It's a great high fibre soup.
I always like having a few tins of beans in the cupboard because they are super versatile and they can turn into a filling meal without much planning. This is a warm and comforting lunch, without a long ingredients list or lots of washing up. That's a win for me. It's also a great way to eat more beans.
The carrots add a little natural sweetness and help give this carrot and butter bean soup its colour, while the butter beans make it thick and creamy. It's budget friendly, freezer friendly and easy to adapt depending on what you already have.
Recipe update: This recipe was originally published on 30 October 2021 and was fully retested in October 2026 to check the cooking time and ingredient quantities. The original recipe still worked well, but I've expanded the instructions, tips and FAQs.
If you are looking for more ways to use butter beans, try our butter bean gnocchi, slow cooker butter beans, butter bean hummus or marinated butter beans.
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Why You'll Love It
- Ready in 20 minutes - A really useful quick lunch or light dinner when you don't have much time.
- Creamy without cream - Blended butter beans give the soup a naturally thick and velvety texture without adding dairy.
- Made with cupboard staples - Canned butter beans and stock make this an easy recipe to pull together without much planning.
- Budget friendly - Beans are an affordable way to make a filling meal and you only need a handful of ingredients.
- Freezer friendly - Make extra and freeze individual portions for quick lunches another day.
Recipe Overview
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Cook: 15 minutes
- Total time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 2
- Texture: Smooth, thick and creamy
- Best for: Quick lunches, light dinners and easy meal prep
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Olive oil - Used to gently soften the shallots and carrots. You can use another neutral cooking oil if you prefer.
- Shallots - Shallots add a lovely sweetness to the base of the soup. A small brown or yellow onion works well instead.
- Carrots - These add colour, natural sweetness and extra body. Dice them quite finely so they soften quickly, as this is a fast-cooking soup.
- Butter beans - Canned butter beans keep this recipe quick and easy. We use the liquid from the tin too, as it helps give the soup its creamy texture.
- Stock - Chicken stock gives the soup a richer savoury flavour. Vegetable stock works just as well and is the easiest way to make the base of the soup vegan.
- Salt and pepper - Season to taste, remembering that the amount needed will depend on how salty your stock is.
- Optional toppings - Chopped cooked bacon, chives, toasted seeds, croutons and freshly ground black pepper all work well.
What are Butter Beans?
Butter beans are large, pale beans with a soft, creamy texture and mild flavour. They are also known as lima beans, particularly in the US.
They are especially good in soups because once they are blended they make the liquid thick and creamy without needing flour, cream or lots of other thickeners.
For this quick butter bean soup recipe, canned beans are the easiest option because they are already cooked. That means the whole soup can be on the table in around 20 minutes.
How to Make Butter Bean Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the finely diced carrots and shallots.
- Cook gently for around 5 minutes, until they are starting to soften.
- Add the canned butter beans, including the liquid from the tin.
- Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for around 10 minutes, or until the carrots are completely soft.
- Blend until completely smooth. If the soup is thicker than you would like, add a splash more stock or hot water and blend again.
- Serve straight away with your favourite toppings.
Why Is Butter Bean Soup So Creamy?
The best thing about this soup is that you don't need to add cream to get a really smooth, creamy texture.
Butter beans contain starch, and when the beans are blended into the stock that starch helps thicken the soup. Using some of the liquid from the tin adds even more body.
I prefer to blend this version completely smooth. It makes it really velvety and means the beans disappear into the soup rather than leaving it chunky.
If you prefer more texture, you could experiment with keeping a few cooked butter beans back and adding them to each bowl after blending.
What to Serve with Butter Bean Soup
For a quick lunch, I usually think simple is best. A slice of warm bread or a handful of crunchy croutons is enough to turn this into a really comforting meal.
Our sourdough croutons are ideal for adding some crunch, especially if you have stale bread that needs using up.
For something a little more substantial, serve it with some easy cheesy garlic bread, garlic and rosemary focaccia or one of our soft bread rolls.
You could also pair a smaller bowl of soup with our cottage cheese grilled cheese for a more filling lunch.
For toppings, try chopped chives, freshly ground black pepper, toasted seeds or a little cooked bacon. Putting the toppings on the table also means everyone can finish their own bowl however they like.
Storage
Store: Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Butter bean soup freezes really well. Once cooled, divide it into individual freezer-safe containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Freezing portions separately makes it much easier to defrost exactly what you need.
Defrost: Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat gently in a saucepan on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. The soup may thicken slightly after chilling or freezing, so add a splash of water or stock if needed.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Dice the carrots quite small so they soften in the short cooking time.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than boiling it hard, as too much liquid will evaporate.
- Blend for a little longer than you think you need to for the smoothest, creamiest texture.
- Add extra stock after blending if you want a thinner soup - it is much easier to thin a soup than thicken one.
- A stick blender is the easiest way to blend the soup directly in the pan. If using a jug blender, allow the soup to cool first and follow the blender manufacturer's guidance for hot liquids.
- Use a low-salt stock if making this for young children.
- Add texture at the end with toasted seeds, croutons, chives or crispy bacon rather than adding lots of extra ingredients to the soup itself.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soup is too thick | Too much liquid has evaporated or the beans have thickened it more than expected | Blend in a little hot stock or water until you reach the consistency you want |
| Soup is too thin | There is slightly too much liquid | Simmer uncovered for a few minutes, or blend in a few extra cooked butter beans |
| Soup isn't completely smooth | The carrots may still be firm or the soup hasn't been blended for long enough | Simmer until the carrots are very soft, then blend again |
| Soup tastes bland | Stock and canned beans vary considerably in salt and flavour | Season gradually with salt and black pepper after blending |
| Soup has become very thick after chilling | Bean-based soups naturally thicken as they cool | Add a splash of stock or water while reheating |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Butter beans are particularly good in soup because they have a mild flavour and naturally creamy texture. They can be left whole for a chunky soup or blended to make a thick, smooth soup like this one.
Yes. Cooked butter beans blend very smoothly and are a great way to make soup thick and creamy without adding cream. A stick blender makes this especially easy.
No. For this recipe, add the whole 400g (14oz) tin, including the liquid, as the starchy liquid helps make the soup creamy.
Yes, but they need to be soaked and fully cooked before being used in this recipe. Canned butter beans are much quicker and are what makes this a 20-minute soup.
The main ingredients are naturally gluten free, but always check the stock and any toppings you use if you need the finished recipe to be suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Yes. Swap the chicken stock for a good-quality vegetable stock and leave off the bacon topping.
Butter beans themselves are excellent for thickening soup. If your soup is too thin, first simmer it uncovered for a few minutes or blend in some additional cooked butter beans. If you still need it thicker, you can use a small cornflour slurry, but it usually shouldn't be necessary for this recipe.
Yes. Make the soup as normal, allow it to cool and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Reheat gently when needed, adding a little stock or water if it has thickened.
More Soup Recipes
If you've tried this butter bean soup recipe, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy and use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Creamy Butter Bean Soup
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 3 Shallots - finely diced
- 230 g (2 cups) of Carrot - finely diced
- 400 g (14 oz) of Canned butter beans, including water
- 500 ml (2 cups) of Chicken stock - use certified gluten-free stock if required
- ¼ teaspoon of Fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of Olive oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add 3 Shallots and 230 g of Carrot (both finely diced).
- Cook gently for around 5 minutes, until they are starting to soften.
- Add 400 g of Canned butter beans, including water, including the liquid from the tin.
- Pour in 500 ml of Chicken stock, season with ¼ teaspoon of Fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon of Ground black pepper and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for around 10 minutes, or until the carrots are completely soft.
- Blend until completely smooth. If the soup is thicker than you would like, add a splash more stock or hot water and blend again.
- Serve straight away with your favourite toppings.
Recipe Notes
- Dice the carrots quite small so they soften in the short cooking time.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than boiling it hard, as too much liquid will evaporate.
- Blend for a little longer than you think you need to for the smoothest, creamiest texture.
- Add extra stock after blending if you want a thinner soup - it is much easier to thin a soup than thicken one.
- A stick blender is the easiest way to blend the soup directly in the pan. If using a jug blender, allow the soup to cool first and follow the blender manufacturer's guidance for hot liquids.
- Use a low-salt stock if making this for young children.
- Add texture at the end with toasted seeds, croutons, chives or crispy bacon rather than adding lots of extra ingredients to the soup itself.
Nutritional Information
Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.
All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.
Bails says
Delicious thanks. I made this with croutons and bacon as you suggested. Very happy about it freezing too.
Jean Rice says
With the current cold weather in the UK I made this soup for the first time today and served it with homemade brown Soda Bread. Very easy to make and absolutely delicious. I've never had butter beans before but the flavour and texture is lovely. I am tempted to add a little bit of chilli flakes next time I make as we love spicy food. I'm just about to start making Leek and Potato soup this evening and then tomorrow I'm making sweet potato and chilli soup so the freezer will be well stocked for a little while.
Dannii Martin says
Ooh yum! You can't beat homemade bread with soup.
Vidya Narayan says
Loved the soup and the fact that it is naturally creamy and thick. Healthy weeknight meal that my family loves.
Nic says
Yummy! Thanks for a great recipe! I also love that it's dairy free so I can make it for my sister in law and niece.
Jill says
This soup is so pretty and I loved that it is pureed. That means my kids might actually try it (because the beans are disguised). Thanks for the recipe!
Biana says
This soup looks delicious! I like that you don't even add cream and it is so creamy anyway.
Seema says
The soup was perfect in every spoonful. I loved the velvety creaminess of these beans.
Tannietwee says
This is delicious, definitely on my keeper list of recipes! Thank you.
Dannii says
So glad you enjoyed it :)
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I think I'd have to use cannellini beans instead as I have a thing about butter beans from childhood. Don't ask!
Jess says
I do not have enough recipes that use butter beans. This is perfect!!
Sally Humeniuk says
I LOVE butter beans and this recipe is not only delicious but super flavorful. Easy to make vegan with vegetable stock, if needed. Healthy and full of flavor!
Jersey Girl Cooks says
So creamy and I love that it is dairy free since my daughter avoids dairy.