Pureed White Bean and Chicken Soup is a delicious soup that pays homage to my Italian roots while celebrating my love for a Mexican flare utilizing Tuscan beans, shredded chicken breasts, onions, garlic, heavy cream and perfectly seasoned with chopped cilantro, cumin, Mexican oregano. This wonderfully flavored soup is topped with sharp cheddar cheese, jalapeno slices, and extra chopped cilantro for maximum deliciousness in every bite.
Fusion cooking has always been my true forte over the years; I love combining two cultures and making a new creation for you all to enjoy. In Tuscany, Italy, you can enjoy a wonderful soup called Vellutata di Fagioli Bianchi which is made with Sorana beans; that is so rare and extremely expensive they are even hard to find there. Sorana beans are pearly white, small, and fragile skin. These beans are grown in small plots on a few hectares along the Pescia River.
Today, I have utilized Tuscan beans in my soup recipe, which are much more cost-efficient for most budgets. I have also used Great Northern and Navy beans to make this wonderful soup in the past. Below you will find a briefly educated explanation of the differences between the three types of beans mentioned above.
Cannellini beans (Tuscan Beans) are large and have that traditional kidney shape. With a slightly nutty taste and mild earthiness, they have a relatively thin skin and tender, creamy flesh. They hold their shape well and are one of the best white beans for salads and ragouts.
Great Northern beans are smaller than cannellini and suitable for any number of uses: salads, soups, stews, ragouts, purees. Their texture is slightly grainy, with a nutty, dense flavor. Popular in North America, Great Northern looks like white baby lima beans.
Navy beans are small and oval and cook relatively quickly (Aliza Green notes in The Bean Bible has made them popular with commercial baked bean manufacturers). Known as Boston beans, the white coco, pea beans, or alubias chicas, Navy beans are perfect for dishes that don’t need the full bean shape to shine: purees, soups, stews, and baked beans.
Pureed White Bean & Chicken Soup
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 large onion, chopped
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3 jalapeno peppers seed removed, diced
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3 -15-ounce cans of Tuscan beans
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4 cups of chicken stock
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4 cloves of garlic, minced
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1/4 of a cup chopped cilantro
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1/2 tablespoon of cumin
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1 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano
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dash of cayenne pepper
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2 pre-cooked chicken breasts, shredded
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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kosher salt, to taste
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freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish or toppings
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sliced jalapeno peppers
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grated sharp cheddar cheese
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chopped cilantro
Directions
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Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and onion. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the onions are softened, approximately 5-6 minutes.
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Add the diced jalapeno peppers and cans of white beans and stir to combine ingredients.
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Add the stock and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Add the garlic, chopped cilantro, cumin, Mexican oregano, a dash of cayenne pepper, and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes.
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Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly to contain hot liquids.
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Pour the blended soup back into the soup pot.
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Puree the remaining soup.
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Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pot, add shredded chicken breasts, heavy cream, kosher salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 6-7 minutes before serving.
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Garnish or top with sliced jalapeno peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro.

Pureed White Bean and Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large Onion chopped
- 3 Jalapeno peppers seed removed, diced
- 3-15- ounce cans Tuscan beans
- 4 cups Chicken broth or stock
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/4 cup Cilantro chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano
- 1 dash Cayenne pepper
- 2 Pre-cooked chicken breasts shredded
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- Kosher salt to own taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to own taste
Garnish or toppings
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Add the diced jalapeno peppers and cans of white beans and stir to combine ingredients.
- Add the stock and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Add the garlic, chopped cilantro, cumin, Mexican oregano, a dash of cayenne pepper and simmer until the garlic is softened about 10 minutes.
- Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly to contain hot liquids. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pot. Puree the remaining soup.
- Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pot, add shredded chicken breasts, heavy cream, kosher salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 20 minutes before serving.
- Garnish or top with sliced jalapeno peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
17 Comments
Tara
June 7, 2016 at 9:22 pmSearching for puréed soups and came across this. It sounds wonderful! Just curious, has anyone ever served it without the chicken? I want to make this for someone that has a mouth injury and can’t chew. Wondering if the chicken being left out would ruin the overall flavor. Thank you!
Heidy L. McCallum
June 7, 2016 at 9:48 pmI’m sorry to hear about your friend….Not sure how sore your friend’s mouth is, I actually shredded the chicken super fine when I made this one. However, it might change the flavor slightly but I bet it would still be really good.
Joanne T Ferguson
May 24, 2015 at 4:17 amI can feel how warm and welcoming this bean soup is from here Heidy! Pinned and shared!
Heidy L. McCallum
May 8, 2016 at 10:52 amThank, Joanne, glad you dropped by!
tampacakegirl
February 19, 2015 at 5:37 pmHeidy I am loving this bean soup. Wish I had some tonight for dinner on this chilly night in Tampa.
Kristen from The Road to Domestication
February 15, 2015 at 6:11 pmThat looks so creamy and delish! Thanks so much for linking up at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week!
dishofdailylife
February 15, 2015 at 10:14 amI love this soup, Heidy! I can’t wait to try it…lots more soup weather left here! Pinning and sharing! Thanks for sharing it at #FoodieFriDIY too!
Dan from Platter Talk
February 13, 2015 at 1:44 pmSo warm, so delicious and soothing in appearance; I love everything about this soup!
Heidy L.McCallum
February 13, 2015 at 1:57 pmThank you Dan, I really appreciate that comment–You just made my day 🙂
April J Harris (@apriljharris)
February 13, 2015 at 12:45 pmThis looks so comforting and delicious – and I love how wholesome all the ingredients are! It’s perfect for a cold winter’s day!
Heidy L.McCallum
February 13, 2015 at 1:57 pmThank you so much April <3
Vicky Libitore
February 13, 2015 at 12:16 pmGreat bean soup idea. I would have never of thought of pureed bean soup, sure enough when I googled it, it was there. Thanks for another outstanding recipe idea.
Heidy L.McCallum
February 13, 2015 at 12:18 pmThanks Vicky, amazing all the things that we can do to beans. I’m glad you stopped by to check out the recipe for Pureed White Bean & Chicken Soup
mealplanmaven
February 13, 2015 at 11:31 amIf I’m cold, you must be freezing today! I so wish I had a bowl of your tummy-warming bean soup for lunch right now!
Heidy L.McCallum
February 13, 2015 at 12:19 pmThanks so much Linda, no it’s not too bad here in Central Florida a bit chilly but I enjoy a little cooler weather.
keciasflavorbreakthrough
February 13, 2015 at 11:11 amHeidy, this Bean soup sounds wonderful! I adore that Mexican flare!
Heidy L.McCallum
February 13, 2015 at 12:19 pmThanks Kecia, you know I have a thing for Jalapeno Peppers lol