Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Slow-Cooker White-Bean Soup 4.7 (3) 3 Reviews It’s our favorite hearty vegetarian dish—and one we make all winter. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 5, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 25 mins Servings: 6 to 8 Jump to recipe Need a cozy, hearty soup to get you through winter? This slow-cooker white bean soup is just the thing. It’s packed with Great Northern beans, leeks, butternut squash, and spinach, making it a substantial and healthy dish. Parmesan rind is the magical ingredient that gives the soup richness and depth of flavor. Even better it’s a set-it-and-forget-it dish where the slow cooker does the work. Come back six hours later, check the seasoning, stir in lemon juice to brighten the flavor, and top with grated Parmesan cheese for serving. 28 Slow Cooker Recipes You'll Want to Make All Year Long Lennart Weibull Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 pound dried Great Northern beans, rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 3 leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces, and well washed (4 cups) 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces 3 sprigs sage 1 Parmesan rind, plus finely shredded Parmesan for serving 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 bunch spinach, trimmed and washed Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Directions Soak beans: Place beans in a bowl; cover with 2 inches of water. Refrigerate, covered, overnight; drain and rinse. Cook beans briefly on stovetop: Cover with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat; drain and rinse. Add soup ingredients and water to slow cooker and cook: Place beans, oil, leeks, garlic, pepper flakes, squash, sage, and rind in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add 8 cups water. Cover and cook on low 6 hours. Remove sage and rind, add lemon and spinach and serve: Remove and discard sage and rind; stir in lemon juice and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, drizzled with oil and topped with shredded cheese and pepper flakes. Cook's Notes Since raw beans can contain toxins, the FDA suggests soaking them for at least five hours and boiling them before slow cooking. Other Bean Soup Recipes to Try Vegetable-Bean Soup Cannellini Bean Soup Chipotle Chicken and White-Bean Soup Kale, Farro, and White Bean Soup Smoky Black Bean and Sausage Soup Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, October 2016 Rate It PRINT