Okay, okay, okay I know. Soup. Hot soup. In August.
In my defense, my original intention for this recipe was a “Chilled White Bean Soup,” but I liked it so much better hot!
I am one of those weird people who eats soup all year round even when its 105 degrees outside.
I definitely prefer fall and winter food to summer food. Summer food is good too (who am I kidding…I love it all), but I find myself making chicken pot pies in the middle of July and hot white bean soup in the beginning of August.
Whoops.
So if you are normal and actually like to eat summer-y food in summer, file this baby away for a few months!
Most people I talk to are super sad summer is flying by so quickly and are trying to fit in as much bright, fresh summer food as they can before September rolls around. I am pretty much the polar opposite.
I am counting down the days until it is officially fall and I can post things like this every day. And this. And this.
Fall is my JAM. I just love it. Love love love love.
I go into Bath and Body Works and hoard the entire store’s worth of “Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin” body wash, lotion, and body spray so that it will last me the entire year.
Think I’m exaggerating? I am literally wearing the body spray right now.
Sure. Judge me if you want. But I smell like a crisp fall day, people.
Jealous? You should be.
What you shouldn’t be jealous of is the fact that I spend like 200 bucks each year on new fall decorations from Hobby Lobby. How many different pumpkins do you need? All of them. The answer is all the pumpkins that the store has in stock (I blame you, Courtney) ((partially)) (((okay fine it’s all my fault))).
I mean commmeeee on…fall is perfect! The changing leaves falling off the trees and covering the grass outside; the crisp, fresh weather; the Pumpkin Spice Lattes (YES); and the cozy, warm fall dishes. Soups…casseroles…pies…anything wholesome and comforting that you can eat while curled up on the couch with a blanket.
Can we talk about the fact that this post totally just got hijacked by my obsession with Fall?
I’ll stop now.
It’s this soup’s fault. It made me crave fall even more so I can post this kind of stuff allday erryday.
So about this soup! It is so yummy, cozy, bright, easy, and perfect.
This comforting pot of goodness starts out with frying several slices of bacon in the soup pot, because any soup that starts off with a base of bacon flavor is an automatic winner #amIright? Then we leave a little bit of that bacon fat in the pot and lightly fry some leeks, celery, and garlic until they are nice and soft and ready to be sprinkled with rosemary and simmered in chicken stock and white beans for fifteen delicious minutes.
After this yummy mixture is pureed, we add some lemon juice. This is a discovery I made recently with soup (this soup to be exact). Something happens when you add lemon to soup…I don’t even know how to explain it, but the lemon brings this note of lightness and brightness (unintentional rhyme) to the dish. You don’t even necessarily have to add enough to taste the lemon. Just a tablespoon or two will do the trick.
Sprinkle some bacon and chives on top and you are ready to go!
It has the same feel as a baked potato soup, but it’s much, much healthier!
So kick that AC down, wrap up in a blanket, pretend the leaves are falling outside, and grab a hot bowl of this goodness!
PrintWhite Bean Soup with Bacon and Chives

- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 5 slices of bacon
- 3 medium leeks, or 2 large leeks, cut in half and sliced into half moons
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 15.8 oz cans Great Northern Beans, drained
- 1 32 oz. box chicken stock
- 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Chives for garnish
Instructions
- Chop the bacon up into pieces and fry in a large soup pot
- Transfer the bacon onto several layers of paper towels to drain, and pour most of the bacon fat into a cup or bowl (don’t discard, you might need more later)
- Add the leeks, celery, and garlic to the same pot
- If it looks a little dry, you can add back in a little bit of bacon fat
- Saute this mixture until the vegetables have softened and are slightly translucent
- Add the rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a little salt and pepper
- Pour in your chicken stock and beans, add in your bay leaf, and bring to a boil
- Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes
- Remove the pot from the heat, find and discard the bay leaf, and puree the soup using an immersion blender/stick blender (if you don’t have one, you can puree the soup in a food processor or blender in batches)
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add your lemon juice to taste
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and chopped chives
*This recipe is gluten free*
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!
I want to cuddle up with this right nowwww!
Jillian
yogapantskitchen.blogspot.com
I hear you on fall – I love it too! I do love summer.. heck I love all the seasons. Well, I could do without winter. Anyway, I eat soup all year round! It’s just so easy to throw a bunch of ingredients into a pot and make a soup, plus with the AC on full blast, who would even know it’s 90 degrees out?!
Keri @ Fashionable Foods recently posted…Creamy Lemon Zoodles
I’ll have to say this for cooler weather….which I’m sure will be here before we know it! This soup sounds delicious…especially the bacon!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop recently posted…Lemon Curd Tartlets
My eating is all out of season, but there is nothing wrong with that.
Yum to this soup. A little bit of bacon goes a long way I think.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Spinach, Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Frittata (and a Giveaway worth £400) by Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
Love how soothing and comforting this soup looks. So rich and creamy! Addition of chives look so gorgeous an delicious! Lovely share, Annie!
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen recently posted…Creamy Fruit and Nut Couscous Paneer Pudding with Chocolate
SO.Not.Judging! While I WILL be supa’ sad to say ta-ta to summer, I am just as excited (if not more) for fall! I mean this IS my first fall in NC. I will actually get to experience the seasonal change!! *jumping up and down* Needless to say, I’m Toe-ts on board with this white bean soup. I mean is DOES have bacon. Plus it looks ultra creamy and VERY silky smooth.. It is calling my name. Telling me to face dive into it. Slurp up EVERY last drop. I am in love. AND i pinned. Because I must have. ;) <3 Cheers, girlie! Hope work is going well!!
Oh and I bet you smell fantastic with your fall fragranced self! Good thing you don't live here still…. you would have to pull me away from stuffing my face in your hair or worse, your arm pits. lol
★★★★★
We totally support year round soup! And this recipe looks killer. Cant wait to try it out!
No judgements here, my friend. I make chili in July and use pumpkin year round. I love this soup and you can never go wrong if you start out with bacon!
I am filing this baby for later. In Canada we practically have three seasons. “Winter’, “Almost winter”,’Feels like winter”. Soup looks yummy!