Alice Rose White bean soup is a good example of a dish that tastes far more impressive than the effort involved suggests.
Tinned cannellini beans cooked with softened onion, garlic and fresh rosemary, then partly blended, give you a soup that’s naturally creamy without any cream, with enough whole beans left in to keep it rustic and hearty.
It comes together in about thirty-five minutes and makes a satisfying, inexpensive meal on its own with a good piece of bread.
Why Partly Blending the Soup Gives Both Creaminess and Texture
A fully blended bean soup is smooth but can feel one-dimensional, while an unblended one is hearty but thin and brothy.
Blending only about half the soup, then stirring it back into the rest, gives you the best of both: a naturally creamy, velvety base from the blended beans, thickened by their own starch, with plenty of whole beans left intact for texture.
This works because beans are naturally rich in starch, which thickens and creams a soup without any dairy at all.
A little extra virgin olive oil stirred in right at the end adds a fruity richness that rounds out the flavour, making the soup taste far more luxurious than a few tins of beans and some stock might suggest.
Ingredients for Gordon Ramsay White Bean Soup
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 800ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Gordon Ramsay White Bean Soup — Step by Step
Step 1 — Build the Base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Step 2 — Add the Beans and Liquid
Add the rosemary, drained beans, stock and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Step 3 — Remove the Herbs
Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf.
Step 4 — Partly Blend
Ladle about half the soup into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use a stick blender in the pot, blitzing briefly so some whole beans remain.
Step 5 — Combine
Stir the blended soup back into the pot, if using a separate blender.
Step 6 — Finish
Stir in the lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 7 — Serve
Ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
My Top Tips for the Best Gordon Ramsay White Bean Soup
Blend only about half the soup, as this gives a creamy base while keeping plenty of whole beans for texture and heartiness.
Rinse the tinned beans thoroughly, as the liquid they’re packed in can make the soup taste slightly metallic and cloudy.
Remove the rosemary before blending, as the woody stalks don’t break down and can leave unpleasant bits in the finished soup.
Finish with extra virgin olive oil rather than cooking with it, as its fruity flavour is best preserved when added at the end.
Season generously at the end, since beans soak up salt and the soup can taste flat until properly seasoned.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with crusty bread or garlic toast for dipping, and a drizzle of good olive oil on top. A scattering of grated Parmesan or a few crispy pancetta cubes add extra richness.
How to Store Gordon Ramsay White Bean Soup
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The soup thickens on standing, so loosen with a splash of stock or water when reheating.
In the freezer: Freezes very well for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the fridge and reheat gently, adding a little extra liquid if needed.
Gordon Ramsay White Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cook onion, carrot and celery 8–10 minutes. Add garlic 1 minute.
- Add rosemary, beans, stock and bay leaf, simmer 20 minutes.
- Remove rosemary and bay leaf.
- Blend about half the soup until smooth.
- Combine, stir in lemon juice. Season generously.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Gordon Ramsay White Bean Soup
Can I use dried beans instead of tinned?
Yes — soak 250g dried cannellini beans overnight, then cook in fresh water for about 1 to 1.5 hours until tender before adding to the soup.
Why is my soup too thin?
This usually means it needs a little more of the soup blended, or a longer simmer to reduce. Blend slightly more of the beans to thicken it naturally.
Can I make this soup vegan?
Yes — use vegetable stock, and skip the optional Parmesan topping or replace it with a vegan alternative.
Can I use a different type of bean?
Yes — butter beans or haricot beans work well as substitutes, giving a similarly creamy texture with a slightly different flavour.
