Spanish white bean soup with clams combines pressure-cooked butter beans with fresh clams in a rich vegetable and fish broth. The beans soak overnight, but a stovetop pressure cooker shortens the cooking stage, while blended vegetables give the broth body without cream.

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Spanish Bean Soup with Clam (Alubias Blancas con Almejas) served in a white bowl, featuring creamy white beans, tender clams in shell, and a rich broth topped with fresh herbs

Why You'll Love THIS Spanish Bean Soup with Clams

Butter Beans That Hold Their Shape: Pressure cooking makes the soaked beans tender while preserving their substantial texture.
Naturally Thickened Broth: Blended vegetables and a few beans create body without flour or cream.
Two Complementary Bases: The beans cook with vegetables while the clams develop their flavor separately with wine, garlic, and fish broth.
Prepare the Beans Ahead: The cooked beans and vegetable base can be refrigerated, leaving the clams to cook shortly before serving.

Spanish white bean soup with clams always takes me back to northern Spain, where slow-cooked meals brought everyone together. That connection is part of why Spanish bean dishes feel so comforting to me, even when their ingredients and character are quite different. My Fabada Asturiana takes a richer direction with sausage, while this soup combines butter beans with clams for a lighter seafood finish. Both recipes reflect the patience that bean dishes often require, beginning with an overnight soak and allowing each ingredient to contribute gradually.

What I enjoy most is the balance between the mild richness of the butter beans, the briny clams, the dry white wine and the gentle heat from the dried chiles. The beans remain whole and tender, while blending the cooked vegetables with a few beans gives the broth a smooth, substantial texture. Preparing the beans and clam mixture separately allows each component to cook properly before they are brought together at the end. I use a similar seafood-and-legume combination in my Spanish cod stew with chickpeas, although this soup has a smoother broth and a more delicate shellfish character.

Close up Spanish Bean Soup with Clam (Alubias Blancas con Almejas) served in a white bowl, featuring creamy white beans, tender clams in shell, and a rich broth topped with fresh herbs

Key Ingredients for Spanish White Bean Soup with Clams

You will find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but these are the ingredients that shape the soup.

Dried Butter Beans: I soak the beans overnight before pressure cooking because this helps them become tender while retaining their generous shape.
Fresh Clams: I purge the clams in salted water and add them toward the end so their flavor enters the broth without cooking them for too long.
Leek, Onion, Tomato, Carrot and Garlic: For me, these vegetables do more than season the beans because blending them creates the smooth base that holds the soup together.
Dry White Wine, Fish Broth and Dried Chiles: I use this combination to balance the richness of the beans with seafood flavor, acidity and gentle warmth.

How to Make Spanish White Bean Soup with Clams

The beans and clams are prepared separately before being combined in four main stages. You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below.

1. Soak the beans overnight, then transfer them to a pressure cooker and cook with fresh water.

2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, skimming impurities.

3. In the pressure cooker, combine leek, onion, tomato, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, and olive oil. Cook for 18 minutes or until beans are tender.

4. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan, add chopped onion, season with salt, and cook until soft.

5. Finely chop the red pepper and cook in the saucepan until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in dried chilies and diced tomatoes, cooking for 5 minutes until softened.

6. Add the cleaned clams, mix well, and pour in the wine. Cook for a few minutes until the clams open.

7. Add the fish broth to the mixture and simmer for 8 minutes.

8. Once the beans are cooked, blend the onion, carrot, tomato, leek, and a few beans into a smooth paste. Pour it over the clams and stir well. Add the beans back to the pan and cook the Spanish bean soup for 4 minutes.

Tips for Spanish White Bean Soup with Clams

Sort the Beans Carefully: I check the dried butter beans before soaking and remove any damaged beans or small pieces of debris.

Skim Before Applying Pressure: Removing the foam during the initial simmer gives me a cleaner bean cooking liquid before I close the pressure cooker.

Soften the Aromatics Gradually: For me, giving the onion, pepper, garlic, and tomato their full cooking time creates a more balanced base than rushing them together.

Watch the Clams Closely: I stop cooking them once their shells open because prolonged cooking can make the clam meat firm.

Storage

I store leftover Spanish white bean soup with clams in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. I reheat it gently over low heat and add a small splash of water or fish broth if the soup has thickened.

What to Serve with Spanish White Bean Soup with Clams

I like serving this soup with homemade ciabatta for soaking up the broth. A Spanish tuna and tomato salad provides a lighter contrast, while a small slice of Spanish flan makes a simple finish.