Dilly Bean Stew
Dilly Bean Stew is a bright, tangy soup with tender white beans, cabbage, and crispy frizzled onions in a dill flavored broth. It’s the kind of unusual, addictive soup that tastes even better the next day, and it’s naturally vegetarian and gluten free. A splash of vinegar and a mountain of fresh dill are what make it special. Made with pantry staples, it comes together in about 45 minutes and serves 6.
Dill gets treated like a garnish. A little sprig on top of the salmon, a few flecks in the ranch, then back in the fridge to slowly turn to slime. This soup gives dill the lead role it’s been waiting for.
And it’s so much better than that sounds.
I stumbled on this one online (a version made popular by Alison Roman) and being the soup person I am, I had to try it. What I got was genuinely unique!
Tender white beans, soft cabbage, and crispy frizzled onions (yes, I had to look this up) in a bright, tangy, dill packed broth.
Even people who swear they don’t like dill end up going back for more, which is the mark of a recipe that actually knows what it’s doing.
It’s vegetarian, gluten free, and even better the next day. Also, “frizzled onions” is just a delightful thing to say, and you’ll be making them here. Add this one to you list of favorite soups, along with some of my others.
Easy Soup Recipes for Dinner
- Swamp Soup – hearty sausage bean and collard green soup
- Busy Day Soup – quick dump and simmer ground beef soup
- Santa Fe Soup – Southwest seasoned ground beef and bean soup
- Italian Minestrone Soup – veggie packed bean and pasta soup
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
White Beans – Cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed. They turn tender and creamy and make the soup hearty enough to be a full meal. You can even use navy beans.
Broth – Use vegetable or chicken broth but stick with vegetable is you want a vegetarian soup.
Fresh Dill – The whole point, and you’ll use a full cup. Fresh is what you want to use since dried just isn’t as bright. Dried works in a pinch but the soup won’t be the same. Use half if using dried since it can be stronger.
Cabbage – Use regular green cabbage or Napa cabbage. Red cabbage is alos great but can change the color of the soup a bit. Half a small head is all you need.
White Vinegar – This is the tangy secret. A splash at the end brightens everything and makes the whole soup pop. Lemon juice works if you’re out.
Onion – Cooked into crispy “frizzled” onions, not caramelized. This is the flavor and texture star, so it’s worth doing right (more below).
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How To Make Dilly Bean Stew
- In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the unsalted butter with the olive oil. Add the diced or sliced onion and cook 5 to 8 minutes, until crispy and slightly browned but not caramelized. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In the same pot, stir in the beans, broth, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cabbage, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and half the chopped dill, and cook 5 minutes more.
- Remove from the heat and serve, garnished with the frizzled onions, more fresh dill, and a small dollop of sour cream.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It gets better as it sits, so leftovers are fantastic. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Freezer: Cook and cool completely, then freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat. Note the beans soften even more after freezing. The fresh dill might be slightly darker and not as bright green, but it still tastes delicious!
Make Ahead: This is a great make ahead soup since the flavors deepen over time. Make it a day ahead and it’s even better.
Frizzled Onions: Keep them separate and add just before serving so they stay crispy instead of going soft in the broth.
Variations
Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth for a fully vegetarian soup (it’s already meat free).
Different Beans: Swap in Great Northern or navy beans for the cannellini.
More Greens: Add spinach or kale along with the cabbage for extra greens.
Spicier: Bump up the red pepper flakes for more heat.
Lemon Version: Use lemon juice in place of the vinegar for a slightly different bright, citrusy flavor.
How Do You Make Frizzled Onions?
Frizzled onions are the star of this soup, and they’re different from caramelized onions, so it’s worth knowing the difference.
You’re cooking the onions in butter and oil over medium high heat just until they’re slightly browned and crispy at the edges, about 5 to 8 minutes.
You’re not going low and slow for caramelization, you’re going for browned and a little frizzled. Once they’re there, pull them out with a slotted spoon and set them on paper towels, which soaks up excess oil and helps them crisp up even more.
One warning: watch them closely. If the onions burn, you’ll have to start over, because burnt onions turn the oil bitter and that bitterness spreads through the whole soup.
A little browned and crispy is the goal, not blackened.
Frequently Asked Questions
They’re onions cooked in butter and oil until browned, and crispy at the edges, but not caramelized. They’re crisper and quicker than caramelized onions and add great texture and flavor to the soup.
You can in a pinch, but fresh dill is what makes this soup special. Dried won’t deliver the same bright flavor, and dill is the whole point here.
Yes, it’s naturally vegetarian and gluten free. Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth to keep it fully vegetarian
Absolutely. It actually gets better as it sits, so making it a day ahead is a great idea. It also freezes well for up to 2 months. Just leave out that last bit of fresh dill until you’re ready to serve it.
Lemon juice works as a substitute. You still get that bright, tangy flavor.
The onions probably burned. Cook them just until browned and crispy, not blackened, since burnt onions make the oil bitter and it carries into the whole soup. And be sure to cook on medium high heat and not full blast heat. This will cause the onions to burn before they cook and everything will be ruined.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook the onions just until browned and crispy, aiming for frizzled, not caramelized.
- Set the cooked onions on paper towels to soak up oil and crisp up more.
- Watch the onions closely, since burnt ones turn the whole soup bitter.
- Use fresh dill for the best flavor, and add half at the end so it stays bright.
- Add the frizzled onions right before serving so they stay crispy.
This Dilly Bean Stew recipe is bright, tangy, and unlike any soup you’ve made before. Simmer up a pot and let the fresh dill and frizzled onions win over even the dill skeptics!
Dilly Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced or cut into thin strips
- 31 ounces cannellini beans canned, drained, and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ small head of cabbage
- 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 cup fresh dill chopped
- Sour cream for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, oven medium high heat, melt butter with olive oil.
- Add the onion. Cook the onion for 5-8 minutes or until the onion is crispy and slightly brown but not caramelized.
- Remove and set aside.
- Stir in the beans, broth, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cabbage and reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar and half the chopped dill.
- Cook for 5 minus more.
- Remove from what and serve.
- Garnish with more fresh dill and a small dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Cook the onions just until browned and crispy, aiming for frizzled, not caramelized.
- Set the cooked onions on paper towels to soak up oil and crisp up more.
- Watch the onions closely, since burnt ones turn the whole soup bitter.
- Use fresh dill for the best flavor, and add half at the end so it stays bright.
- Add the frizzled onions right before serving so they stay crispy.
Nutrition
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