White bean soup with spinach and leeks is a delicious and filling soup that is perfect for vegetarians if you use vegetable broth, and quick to make. I've been making this soup for years, but I really craved it when I was pregnant with my fourth child.
Delicious and easy soup. Great for vegetarians, like me, when you use vegetable broth. Two suggestions: If you are a lemon lover like me, squeezing a wedge of lemon into your soup or floating a lemon slice on top a=can make a good thing even better. Also, if you aren't going to use all the soup at once, instead of putting the spinch into the pot with the rest of the soup, just put a portion into the bottom of the bowl and pur your hot soup on top. Spinach cooks pretty well instantly, and you will be saved from having slimy spinch leaves when you reheat the leftovers. Thanks for the great recipe.
Read MoreOur soup prepared as per recipe was very bland! My wife however rescued it by adding crushed tomatoes and green chili peppers ...one 28oz can of tomatoes and one 4 oz can of green chilies.....that did the trick and we are enjoying the result...now ****
Read MoreDelicious and easy soup. Great for vegetarians, like me, when you use vegetable broth. Two suggestions: If you are a lemon lover like me, squeezing a wedge of lemon into your soup or floating a lemon slice on top a=can make a good thing even better. Also, if you aren't going to use all the soup at once, instead of putting the spinch into the pot with the rest of the soup, just put a portion into the bottom of the bowl and pur your hot soup on top. Spinach cooks pretty well instantly, and you will be saved from having slimy spinch leaves when you reheat the leftovers. Thanks for the great recipe.
Our soup prepared as per recipe was very bland! My wife however rescued it by adding crushed tomatoes and green chili peppers ...one 28oz can of tomatoes and one 4 oz can of green chilies.....that did the trick and we are enjoying the result...now ****
Great recipe! I modified the recipe with one can of beans, a 10 oz package of frozen spinach, and three leeks. Two cans of beans was overwhelming, and I don't usually have fresh spinach on hand. Also, I put everything in a slow cooker on high for about four or five hours and served it with grated Parmesan cheese and a slice of bread.
I've made this soup many times and it always turns out great. I do add an extra can of chicken broth which keeps it from getting too thick.
Wonderful recipe! I went with what was suggested by other reviewers and substituted the cumin for rosemary and thyme and left out the couscous. I also substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth as a personal preference. This has become a quick favorite of mine - cheap, easy, healthy, and vegetarian. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
my husband and i are definitely NOT vegetarians, but we were both sick and i needed to make something out of what i had on hand. we were suprised to find that this soup really hit the spot. we had slices of crusty bread and butter on the side and it was a perfect light dinner. my husband thought it needed more broth because the couscous does soak up some liquid, but i kind of liked it the way it was. i ended up adding more chicken broth for his sake :) also didn't use the whole amount of cumin.
very good. I used rosemary and thyme instead of cumin for a different flavor. I also used the entire leek, not just the bulb.
YUMMY! I messed up and added a BOX of couscous and it turned out like a side dish--a very delicious side dish. Then I added more broth and made it into a soup and it was still good. I also used frozen spinach and it worked well. Anyone having issues with flavor may be using a poor broth. I use Better Than Bouillon Veggie and it is great
For those not used to cooking with leeks, the key to getting that great flavor and aroma is using a good olive oil and then cooking the leeks in it rather slowly. I really take my time with the leeks, letting them develop flavor without burning. You might not want to add the garlic at the beginning as it might get over done. Also, use plenty of the green parts. Just save the tougher outer part for stock. Much of the inner green is soft and delicious, and adds a lot of flavor. Potatoes go well with leeks if you don't have couscous. If you want more flavor, two things that go well are rosemary and sage. I like to make rosemary olive oil for use with leek dishes. Just heat fresh rosemary sprigs in good olive oil over very low heat for a long time, until the leaves turn crunchy but not burnt (think deep frying over a course of an hour or so.)
This soup is quick to make and wonderful. My husband and I enjoyed it with a green salad and hot, crusty bread. I didn't make any changes to this aside from using low-sodium chicken broth. It's delicious as left-overs too!
I love this soup. I've been making it for ages and really should have reviewed it before now. I found it delicately flavoured, nourishing and so healthy. I used quinoa instead of cous cous and it works really well. Thanks for this lovely recipe.
fantastic mix of flavors & textures! we were working late so i made a slow cooker version: same ingredients except frozen spinach instead of fresh, dry beans, dry rice instead of couscous, and lots more chicken broth - just put everything in the crockpot on low in the morning and come home to a fantastic dinner, ready to go. makes a full, hearty meal with sausage on the side.
Well thank you very much for an excellent dinner everyone! I followed the recipe with the following changes suggested by other reviewers: - fry the cumin with the garlic it really helps release the flavor of the spice - add the juice of one lemon to help give it a little sweetness and counter the spiciness of the cumin - not too much cous-cous or it becomes a sidedish - add the spinach towards the end so it doesn't become too wilted I served this with open faced grilled tomato baguette sandwiches and the entire meal was a hit with my 16 year old son. Merci!
We really liked this. I made the recipe as is and didn't feel it was bland at all. Didn't even add a pinch of salt. Next time, though, I will add an extra cup or two of broth.
A really good, simple soup. I initially wanted to try it with kale, but the grocery store was out, so I used 1 overflowing cup of frozen chopped spinach. I left out the bay leaf, cumin and couscous because it seemed like any additional herbs or spices would override the flavors of the main ingredients. So my only seasoning was the garlic, vegetable bouillon cube (we use Rapunzel brand, it's great for everything) and pepper, although I did add 1/3 can of evaporated milk left over from another dish for a filling consistency. In short, if you're in the mood for something with a bit more variety, skip this recipe and just make minestrone or vegetable-bean soup... although basic flavors can also be just as satisfying!
The soup was bland and kindof boring so I had to add 3 more garlic cloves and fresh parsley in the last minute. Very healthy alternative to most rich soups.
This is a great soup!! I changed the recipe a bit: added some carrots, had no spinach so substituted chard, used vege broth instead of chicken, and added extra garlic. Definitely needs more broth/water than called for. Thanks for sharing!!
I was a little disappointed-I followed the recipe (with the exception of adding extra broth-totally needed), but found the cumin to have overpowered the other ingredients. Rosemary and/or thyme are better suited for this soup's delicate ingredients. It's definitely a great base to build on, which is why I still gave it three stars.
A great way to make a soup with leeks as an alternative to a heavy potato leek soup. Light and filling. I followed the directions as stated, ended up adding about 8 oz extra water. I did use more than just the white of the leek- about 5" higher to include some of the greens. For best flavor, use a good quality chicken stock- not just boullon or canned "chicken broth" --it will be more expensive but gives soups a much richer flavor.
Instead of cumin, I used 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning. Also used 1 box of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; added it just before serving. Did not have couscous however the same amount of orzo worked out well. You can add up to 2 cans more of broth . . . just depends on how thick you want it. The flavor is wonderful! Worth repeating many times in the cold winter.
This recipe was very good and very simple. I did make a few changes: I used most of the leek, not just the white base, I added one more garlic clove and 1 cup more broth. and as suggested I substitute rosemary and thyme for cumin and put the spinach in the individual bowls so that my left over soup didn't have slimy spinach the next day. Because I used most of the leek, I used 3 instead of four since using more of the leek increased the amount of leek in the soup.
Refreshing light flavor and filling. I make soups as a way to have dinner then lunch for the rest of the week and this fit the bill. I held the spinach and added it before I reheated each serving. It's also good with a dollop of sour cream.
Found this via an ingredient search when I was looking for something I could make quickly. This soup is so easy and fast and versatile! I love spinach, but I didn't have any so I used kale--I just added it shortly after the beans since it takes longer to cook. It held up really well and turned out delicious. I imagine that chard or some other green would work well too. Also, navy beans are good if you don't have cannellini. I'll be making this again!
This was both tasty and healthy. I made it to use up some left over fresh spinach and thought it was good, although not overly flavourful. It seems to have minimal leftover value as the couscous soaks up the water and the spinach becomes soggy, but the recipe points out to serve it immediately.
Easy great soup. Use 1 tsp cumin-not two. I used 48oz chicken stock,frozen pkg spinach and quinoa instead of couscous. A big hit with everyone....
My family LOVES this recipe. We use wheat couscous in our soups often. It's also good with sausage links, grilled and sliced, in the soup.
A simple but belly warming soup. It did need a few changes to suit our tastes. I had to double the amount of liquid in it in order for it to be a soup. I also used frozen spinach because I didn't have fresh, unfortunately. I also used 5 gloves of garlic as recommended by other reviewers. We like things spicy so I added a little cayene pepper too. I will definitely make this again as my husband loves it. Thanks
EXCELLENT! This is such a fabulous, hearty and rich soup without all the cream of other recipes. I followed the ingredients exactly with 2 changes; a little secret i learned from cooking indian food--i added the cumin and bay leaf to the leek/garlic and sauteed altogether to release the flavour and i cooked the beans for awhile in the soup prior to adding spinach. Using my wooden spoon, after about 30 minutes i crushed half of the beans to add to the thickness. I really recommend this recipe.
Really good. I used better than bouillon veggie base and quinoa instead of couscous. Could have left the grain out without harming the soup. I used whole bag of spinach. Thanks for the recipe!
this soup was delicious! although I did tweak it a little bit. I prefer vegetable broth to meat broth and also I skipped the couscous completely and used about 2 cups of cooked turkey instead. this will definately become a staple in my house
Loved this soup. It was delicious. I added an extra can of chicken broth as others suggested and also used the full amount of cumin. YUM
This was reallly good, and I felt so healthy eating it. I ended up using more chicken broth because mine looked really thick, but that was an easy fix. Also, I added a little more spice to mine with chilli powder. So easy to add whatever spices you like. I will definitely be making this again.
This is a four star recipe with potential to be five stars. I used orzo instead of couscous because I like the texture better. I agree with other raters that there are too many cannelli beans in this. A five star version of this soup is less cannelli beans and more orzo/couscous. As suggested by some raters, I used rosemary/thyme/sage instead of cumin. I also added mushrooms and more garlic. This combination may be the best soup I have ever made...
Amazing! I followed the recipe exactly except I threw in some turkey bacon at the end. Next time I'm going to throw in some crumbled turkey sausage and triple the spinach. This was so delicious.
I was looking for a way to use some fresh spinach in soup other than the cream variety when I came across this recipe. The combination seemed a little unusual, but I like all the ingredients so I tried it and it was DELICIOUS. My carnivorous hubby loved it and commented on how filling it was. We both love leeks so this was a great new way to try them too. Next time I will add one more can of chicken broth to make it more soupy. I can see why you'd crave this Beth, thanks!
quick, easy, yummy, one pot, love it.....did not add cummin as i had none and used garlic powder in place of cloves...used orzo...
Super easy to make and pretty tasty. I will agree it was a little bland at first bite but add a little more salt, pepper and some Parmesan and you're good to go. Could not find whole wheat couscous so I used regular. I will also agree it wasn't really a soup, would definitely need more chicken broth for that. I did not add more though, I liked it as it was. Super healthy and quick to make, will make it again.
Sooooo yummy! I added fire-roasted diced tomatoes and went light on the cous cous....hearty, healthy and easy!! Will make this often!
This was very good. I did add about another cup of water to the soup and 2 bouillion cubes for a little more flavor. I also really like Great Nothern Beans, so I subed one of the cans of beans for that. First time using leeks and I loved it. My husband doesn't like this kind of stuff in general (a real meat and potatoes kind of guy) but he enjoyed.
I used vegetable stock and following another reviewers advice, left out the cumin and used rosemary and thyme instead. I wasn't sure whether to add the couscous, but went with it in the end. My daughter was glad I did as she said it thickened it up. I probably used more spinach than suggested as well. This was so quick, easy and enjoyable it's bound to be on the worknight menu again. Thanks
A wonderful recipe. It was DEE-LISH !! A very healthy soup. I added a finely chopped jalapeno, for some kick. Also a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, it goes good with spinach & leafy greens. Added a little more chicken stock. It is also a visually appealing/appetizing soup. I would recommend it & I am saving the recipe & making it again. Beth
Super easy and super delicious. Skipped the couscous. Put spinach on bottom of bowl and ladled soup over it--SO GOOD. Spinach is a necessity. Salted lightly in bowl.
This was pretty good but it's not something I'd crave or make again necessarily. I followed the recipe exactly. Once dished up, I added some crushed red pepper to mine. I also think it would be good with some Parmesan cheese or bacon.
I took the advice of previous reviewers and revved up the 'heat' a bit with 1/2 t. of flaked red peppers. Also used froz. spinach and replaced couscous with quinoa (more fiber). If using quinoa, let it cook in the broth about 15 min. before adding beans. I also added an extra can of LOW SODIUM chicken broth, as we like more of a soup rather stew-like consistency. Used 2 whole leeks. I'd do this again, using onions rather than leeks (as onions are cheaper in my area.) Enjoy!
This is a good soup, although my family agreed that was bland. Next time I will try adding feta cheese as a garnish and increasing the cumin by atleast double. I will also decrease the couscous by half -it really absorbed most of the liquid and that may be why it was bland? Just as it was the pot was emptied. It left us feeling full and nourished.
In Hungary(Europe) we do not use so much canned food- so I cooked the white bean (in chicken soup with bay leaves and garlic). Also in Hungary bean soup is usually heavy with smoked ham. But it looked so good and turned out delicious, my family loved it!
I used homemade organic chicken broth which gave great flavour and nutrition. Also substituted thyme and dill for the cumin as cumin just didn't seem to go. It was quite good!
I love the result... I am making it for a school fundraiser... I thought it was a little bland too so I bought far east herbed chicken couscous and threw the seasoning in with the soup.. it gave it exactly what it needed! happy cooking!
Very good, easy, and filling. I see that some people thought it bland. I used garlic couscous, as it was what I had on hand, and this made the soup very flavorful. Garlic is always a good addition, if you ask me!
use good broth!!! if the broth tastes good hot without any thing in it, then the soup will taste good. if it tastes like slightly flavored water.......you get the picture. Quinoa (like sugested above) is a good addition, just make sure to rinse well and remember that it takes about 20-30 mins to cook. I cooked some in my rice cooker with broth instead of water, then added it to the soup.
A little less leek, a little less couscous, don't be shy with the salt and pepper, and it's wonderful.
My family loved this soup! I took some to work the next day for my two co-workers and they had to have the recipe. I did add some ham and a little bit more cumin. I would also make this with out the meat as well. I will definately be making this again throughout the fall and winter!
1)HALF-ed the beans, couscous, and leeks. 2)ADDED a tomato-- next time use more-- and a splash of apple cider vinegar. 3)REPLACED cumin with rosemary and thyme. 4)Waited til heat was off to add spinach. 5)Would have been good with squash or mushrooms.
I left out the coucous. Next time will add some carrots, celery and a little potato. Otherwise, excellant soup!
Doctored according to my taste (extra garlic, some red pepper flakes, kale and spinach, quinoa). This is delicious. I will make this over and over.
This is a really good recipe! I took the advice from others and added an extra can of chicken broth. Definitely a keeper! Thanks!
i just love this recipe, the only change i made was i used orzo instead of couscous. and it can't get any healthier than this. thanks
We really enjoyed this! Very tasty. We did as others did and added an extra can of brooth and we used tyhme and rosemary. I will def. make it again.
Tried this recipe, changed to 4 servings. The soup was simply delicious. A healthy hardy winter meal. I did not have cannellini beans, so I used Great Northern, and 2 chicken bullion cubes. The soup was thicker than I expected, but had a great flavor. This is a keeper.
I love this soup! I don't add the couscous, I add extra chicken broth, spinach, and garlic. It's so good I'm glad I discovered it early in life so I don't have to live my life without it!
Oh my goodness, this was one great recipe. Of course I made a few changes, however the results were excellent. I used kidney beans, and some navy beans, which are the same as stated in the recipe, omitted the cumin and added Italian seasoning instead. Enjoyed making it and the result were very enjoyable. Thanks for the recipe. Will make it often.
I thoroughly enjoyed this soup. I used a vegetarian chicken broth and, like another review suggested, used some of the green section of the leeks. I froze some of the soup for later and it did very well. Easy and good!
Good, change of pace. I used the thyme and rosemary like other users. Also I added extra spinach and left out the couscous. Next time I will add mushrooms.
Well, I made the recipe as listed but for the fact that I waited until the end to pour the soup over the spinach in the bowl. The flavor is quite mild. I would say this recipe is just okay - clearly healthy and full of nutrition but too mild a flavor for my preference.
I really like this recipe with just a few changes - I add an extra can of beans and skip the couscous. Love the flavor.
My roommates and I made this for dinner tonight and we felt it was a little too bland for our tastes. We're thinking about making it again and adding some sausage to add some more flavor. I would definitely recommend this soup if you're looking for a quick and healthy soup recipe!
a very comforting and filling dish without all the calories! its my go to dish on a chilly day!
This is a really good soup. I followed other people's advice and added an extra cup of broth, and omitted the couscous. It was delicious and VERY healthy!
Comforting, tasty, and filling. I used onions because I didn't have any leeks. We ate it with French bread and an olive oil/ vinegar/ black pepper dip.
Enjoyed very much! Very healthy & easy to make. We did add more cumin & bay leaves & probably more than a pinch of salt & pepper. Used minced garlic, organic vegetable broth, dry cannellini beans I had previously cooked & fresh organic baby spinach & probably closer to 1 or 2 tbsp of olive oil. Did use 2 cups extra broth as others recommended to make it more like soup - with amount of broth stated here it becomes more of a side dish, not a soup.
Flavor is really good & soup is very filling.I did add a whole bag of spinich & next time i will give it a rough chop -other then that no changes are needed.I will be using this soup on my detox mondays as it is very tasty & filling.
This is an excellent vegetarian dish. I made it exactly as directed (next time I will double the broth) except I used fresh canellini beans that I had cooked previously and froze in 16 oz packages and boxed chicken broth instead of canned.
Easy and delicous! Based on other reviews I added the cumin and bay leaves to the onion and garlic, added the beans and cooked for a couple minutes, then added the broth. I added the spinach to the bowl before serving and it was delish. Great simple recipe that I will make again and again.
I loved this soup, the only change I made was to use swiss chard in place of the spinach, I added it at the same time as the couscous. Delish!
This is a very good soup, but it needs way more broth than what is listed here. I used 40 oz of chicken broth and next time I will use even more.
This recipe is a favorite and a KEEPER. I lost it once and searched the internet until I found it again. It's perfect just as it is. Very healthy and tasty soup.
For a bean soup, this came out pretty good!..simple to whip up, and healthy too! I think the more I make this recipe I wont need the recipe in front of me to make...I wanted to add more zest to this soup...I think next time I might add another teaspoon of cumin.
I made this for dinner tonight following the recipe exactly as written. I thought it was great! Nice and simple, but healthy and filling.
This was a nice soup. I did make some changes, however. I used only three leeks, 1/2 10 oz. pkg. of frozen spinach, and I added 2 cups of water. I also added a sliced carrot for color and texture. The flavors got better a few days later. I ate it for lunch for several days. It's a good starter soup recipe to add to.
This soup was wonderful and easy! As they say in Italy, "Buonissima!" The only adjustment that I had to make was to add more liquid. I would say 2 more cups of water makes it go a little bit further, which is a good thing considering that my family devoured it!
This was a healthy soup recipe! I followed it except using butter beans instead of cannelini beans and veggie broth. After it was made however, it tasted like it needed something extra so we added a salty liquid seasoning we had that hit the spot. Also, I needed to add more broth than the recipe called for because the soup was so thick in the end it was hard to tell it was soup. Overall though, my husband said it was his new favorite soup!
This soup is really great. I used great northern beans, and I also added some turkey sausage to the pot. We like spinach so I added an extra. My two small children loved it. Thanks!
This was fair...however, I used onions instead of leeks, added mushrooms, and did not use the couscous (wheat allergy), so I guess I can't really give it a true rating.
The soup smells delicious, looks beautiful and, as my husband said, "tastes alright." Maybe if we'd used the vegetable stock as recommended it would have been better. The suggestion to add the spinach to each bowl just before serving was a good one!
It was great. I didn't add the couscous because it was way too expensive at the supermarket. I added some extra firm tofu cut into cubes instead. I also added extra chicken broth to keep it from getting too thick. I think the tofu made it super tasty.
Absolutely much better than expected. However, I made several changes to suit our tastes. I doubled the cumin, added 8 cloves of garlic, used no-chicken stock(vegetarian), added 1c more stock and lastly didn't add the couscous. With these changes, a great soup was the outcome. I will make this over and over again.
This is good soup! The key is to use your favorite broth. We love vegetable bouillon so used 2 Liters water and enough bouillon to make it noticeably salty, plus a can of chopped tomatoes, since we love that in soup. Frozen spinach works fine. Just add it before boiling the water. When the water is boiling, then add the couscous (or little pasta Soup Stars or Orzo), and the spinach will be cooked by the time the pasta is cooked (5-8 minutes.) I also used less cumin but more garlic.
We really enjoyed this soup. our only addition was one fresh cayenne pepper; cut in half, then removed just before serving. We also used vegetable stock rather than chicken.
