Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450g) dried Great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 large (150g) yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium (180g) carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 2 stalks (60g) celery, diced
  • 4 cloves (20g) garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (5g) dried thyme
  • 1 tsp (5g) salt
  • ½ tsp (3g) black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups (60g) fresh baby spinach, chopped
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp (30g) fresh parsley, minced

Instructions:

  1. Sort through the dried beans to discard any small stones or shriveled peas, then rinse thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer. Chop the onion, carrots, and celery into uniform pieces.
  2. Place the rinsed beans, diced vegetables, minced garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Pour the broth over the top and stir gently to combine.
  3. Secure the lid and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 4 hours, until the beans are buttery-soft and the broth has thickened slightly.
  4. Remove the bay leaves. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3-4 times, blending only a small portion of the beans.
  5. Stir in the chopped spinach and lemon juice. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes until the greens are wilted, then stir in fresh parsley just before serving.