Secret to Creamy Carrot Butter Bean Soup

This Carrot Butter Bean Soup recipe creates an incredibly rich, comforting, and nutrient-dense meal that has become an absolute staple in my kitchen. It features caramelized carrots and creamy butter beans swimming in a silky, golden broth made from roasted honeynut squash and garlic. A touch of Aleppo pepper adds a gentle, zesty warmth, making this one of my all-time favorite vegetarian soup recipes for a chilly day.

When I first tested this recipe, I almost skipped a key step. I had some leftover roasted squash and, on a whim, decided to blend it into the broth just to use it up. That happy accident was the game-changer! It instantly transformed the soup, giving it a luxurious, creamy body without a single drop of cream. That's the secret: roasting the aromatics and squash deepens their flavor and creates a broth with unbelievable complexity.

Why You'll Fall in Love with This Soup

This isn't just another winter soup; it's a bowl of pure comfort that's both deeply satisfying and incredibly wholesome.

• Incredible Depth of Flavor: Roasting the squash, onions, and garlic first creates a sweet, caramelized base that you just can't get from simmering alone.
• Nutrient-Dense & Healthy: Packed with vegetables and protein-rich beans, this is one of those healing soups that makes you feel good from the inside out.
• Perfect for Meal Prep: Like many great soup recipes, this one tastes even better the next day! The flavors meld together beautifully, making it ideal for easy lunches or healthy winter dinners.
• Naturally Creamy: The blended roasted squash gives the broth a velvety texture that feels indulgent but is completely dairy-free and vegetarian.

Ingredients for this Must-Try Soup Recipe

The magic of this soup lies in using simple, high-quality ingredients and letting them shine. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Honeynut Squash: My top choice for its concentrated sweetness and vibrant color. If you can't find it, butternut or kabocha squash are fantastic substitutes.
• Butter Beans: These are the star of the show. I swear by the Strianese brand for their exceptionally plump and creamy texture, but any canned cannellini or Great Northern beans will also work beautifully.
• Carrots: Four large carrots, sliced into half-moons, add sweetness and a lovely bite.
• Sweet Onion: I used Cipolline onions for their mild sweetness. If you can't find them, a regular sweet onion or pearl onions are perfect replacements.
• Garlic: Four whole cloves get roasted until soft and sweet, melting right into the broth.
• Aromatics & Spices:
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For roasting the vegetables and sautéing.
  • Italian Herb Blend: A good blend with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and basil is key.
  • Aleppo Pepper: This adds a mild, fruity heat that brightens everything up. Use a pinch more or less to suit your taste.
  • Kosher Salt: I always use Diamond Crystal for its clean flavor.
• Fresh Dill: Stirred in at the end, it adds a burst of fresh, bright flavor that cuts through the richness.
• Water or Broth: 5 cups of water are all you need, as the roasted vegetables create their own flavorful stock. However, you can use vegetable stock if you have it on hand.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Roast the Vegetables

1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Halve the honeynut squash and slice your onions. Keep the garlic cloves whole.
2. Roast: Place the onions and garlic on the sheet pan, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Place the squash halves face-down on the pan. Roast everything together.
3. Check the Aromatics: After 20-25 minutes, check the onions and garlic. They should be soft, translucent, and just starting to char at the edges. Your kitchen will smell incredible! Remove them from the pan and set aside. Let the squash continue roasting until it's completely fork-tender.

2. Build the Soup Base

4. Sauté the Carrots: While the squash roasts, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and let them cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes to get a nice color. Continue to sauté for another 5-7 minutes until they are softened and lightly browned.
5. Bloom the Spices: Sprinkle the Italian herbs, Aleppo pepper, and kosher salt over the carrots. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds. This step, called "blooming," awakens the spices and makes a huge difference in the final flavor.
6. Simmer: Add the drained and rinsed butter beans, the roasted onions, and the 5 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat to low while you wait for the squash to finish roasting.

3. Blend and Finish

7. Create the Creamy Broth: Once the squash is tender, scoop out about 150g (a little less than a cup) and add it to a blender. Add the roasted garlic cloves and about 2 cups of the hot broth from your pot (be sure to only ladle the liquid, not the beans or veggies). Blend on high until the mixture is perfectly smooth and creamy.
8. Combine and Simmer: Pour the creamy squash mixture back into the soup pot. Add the chopped fresh dill and stir everything to combine. Let the soup simmer gently for at least 15-20 more minutes to allow all the flavors to marry.
9. Serve: Taste and adjust for salt if needed. Serve hot, perhaps with a side of crusty bread for dipping.

My Top Tips for Perfect Soup Every Time

• Don't Rush the Carrots: Letting the carrots get some real color in the pan builds a foundational layer of caramelized sweetness.
• Use High-Quality Beans: Since this is a brothy bean soup, the texture of the beans matters. Look for brands known for being plump and creamy.
• Don't Skip the Dill: The fresh dill at the end is not just a garnish; it adds a necessary brightness that lifts all the deep, roasted flavors.
• Let It Rest: This soup is fantastic right away, but it's even better the next day. The flavors continue to deepen and meld as it sits in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ultimate Creamy Carrot Butter Bean Soup (Brothy & Delicious)

This incredible Carrot Butter Bean soup is possibly one of the best soup recipes you'll ever make. It features a creamy base of tender butter beans, sweet caramelized carrots, and a rich, savory broth infused with roasted honeynut squash and garlic. A hint of Aleppo pepper adds a gentle, zesty heat, making it the perfect comforting meal to enjoy during the fall season. The flavors deepen over time, so it's ideal for meal prep.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butter bean soup, Carrot Butter Bean, fall soup, honeynut squash soup, soup recipes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 335kcal

Ingredients 

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Soup Ingredients

• ▢ 1 honeynut squash or 150g roasted squash; butternut or kabocha also work
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic
• ▢ 3 Cipolline onions about 170g, sliced; or substitute with sweet onion
• ▢ Olive oil for roasting
• ▢ kosher salt for roasting
• ▢ 4 large carrots sliced in half lengthwise, then into half-moons (about 320g)
• ▢ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil about 52g
• ▢ 1 tbsp dried Italian herb blend
• ▢ 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
• ▢ 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 2 cans butter beans 14 oz cans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 5 cups water or substitute with vegetable stock
• ▢ 1/2 cup fresh dill loosely packed and roughly chopped

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a medium-sized sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
• Prepare the aromatics for roasting by placing the sliced onions and whole garlic cloves onto the prepared sheet pan. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Place the halved honeynut squash cut-side down on the same pan.
• Roast everything at 450°F. Remove the onions and garlic after 20-25 minutes, once the onions are translucent and starting to char. Continue roasting the squash until it is completely fork-tender.
• Sauté the carrots in a large Dutch oven or deep pot with 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat. Allow the carrots to cook undisturbed for 5 minutes to develop color, then continue sautéing for another 5-7 minutes until soft and lightly browned.
• Stir in the dried Italian herbs, Aleppo pepper, and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to bloom the spices for about 30 seconds. Add the drained and rinsed butter beans, 5 cups of water, and the roasted onions to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup base simmer.
• Blend the broth by scooping out about 2 cups of the liquid from the pot (avoiding solids) and adding it to a blender. Add the roasted garlic and 150g of the roasted squash flesh. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
• Pour the creamy squash mixture back into the pot with the soup. Stir in the freshly chopped dill and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Let the soup simmer for at least 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.

Equipment

• Sheet Pan
• Dutch Oven or large pot
• Blender

Notes

*For the onions, if you can't find Cipolline, an equal amount (about 170g) of sliced sweet onion or pearl onions makes a great substitute. **For the liquid, feel free to replace the water with vegetable or chicken stock for an even richer flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 15000IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3.5mg