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White Bean Spinach Soup

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This White Bean Spinach Soup is proof that you don’t need meat to make a filling, satisfying dinner. One can of white beans, a handful of pasta, fresh spinach, and a few pantry staples come together in one pot in 30 minutes for well under $5 for a family of four. The beans and pasta give you plenty of protein and fiber, the lemon juice brightens everything up at the end, and the whole thing tastes even better the next day as leftovers. Budget soup doesn’t get much better than this.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or Herbs de Provence)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a lemon)
  • 3/4 cup uncooked pasta shells or macaroni
  • 1 (15 oz) can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups fresh spinach
  • Dried parsley to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  • Add the garlic and celery and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the broth, lemon juice, and pasta and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the beans and spinach. Stir well and continue simmering for another 5 to 10 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the pasta is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Serve hot. A sprinkle of dried parsley on top is plenty.

Notes

Budget notes. This soup comes in around $4.10 for four servings at store-brand prices, about $1.00 per person. The two things that keep the cost down are canned beans instead of a protein, and using Italian seasoning from your pantry instead of buying a specialty herb blend. Vegetable broth is the other main cost, and a Great Value 32 oz carton runs about $2 at Walmart. You only need half of it for this recipe, so save the rest for another soup later in the week.

Use dried parsley instead of fresh. Fresh parsley runs close to $1 a bunch and you only use a small amount. Dried parsley works fine as a garnish here and saves you money.

Swap the greens. Kale or Swiss chard both work in place of spinach. They take a few extra minutes to soften but hold up better if you’re planning to eat this as leftovers throughout the week.

Make it heartier. Add a second can of beans to stretch it further, or toss in a diced carrot or zucchini with the celery. Either way, the cost stays well under $5.

 

Storage. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The pasta will absorb liquid as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. Freezes well for up to 6 months.

Find it online: https://pennypinchinmom.com/white-bean-spinach-soup-2/