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30-Minute Butternut Squash & White Bean Soup

Sweet butternut squash simmered until meltingly tender, half blended in the pot for a silky body, three cans of cannellini beans stirred in, finished with parmesan and a Greek yogurt swirl — one pot, 30 minutes, about 16g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried sage or 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1.5 lb pre-cut butternut squash cubes about 5 cups
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 0.5 cup finely grated parmesan plus more for serving
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt for serving
  • Fresh sage leaves and crusty bread for serving

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
  • Immersion blender (or a countertop blender)
  • Wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, sage, thyme, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook 1 minute, until fragrant — this wakes up the dried herbs.
  3. Add the butternut squash cubes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook 12–15 minutes, until the squash is completely fork-tender.
  4. Take the pot off the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup right in the pot — you want it creamy but still chunky. (No immersion blender? Transfer 2–3 cups to a countertop blender, blend smooth, and stir it back in. Vent the lid and hold it with a towel.)
  5. Return to medium heat and stir in all three cans of cannellini beans. Simmer 2–3 minutes, until heated through and the soup thickens slightly.
  6. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan until melted. Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls, swirl each with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, and finish with extra parmesan, fresh sage leaves, and crusty bread on the side.

Notes

Food safety: vegetarian soup brought to a full simmer; refrigerate within 2 hours. Pre-cut squash cubes are the 30-minute enabler. Partial blend = creamy body without cream. 4 days refrigerated / 3 months freezer; reheat to steaming (165°F); yogurt swirl added at serving. Protein ~16g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.