Vegan Bean and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

  • Drizzle of vegetable broth or olive oil

  • 6 cloves garlic minced

  • 2 cups dried white beans or 4 (15-ounce) cans (cannellini, Great Northern, navy, or baby lima)

  • 2 medium carrots peeled, end trimmed

  • 1 large tomato

  • 1 medium onion skin peeled (white or yellow)

  • 4 bay leaves

  • 1 large red bell pepper cored

  • 1 large lemon juice to taste

    Optional flavorings:

  • 1 tablespoon mellow miso dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 tablespoon tahini

  • 1 tablespoon sriracha

  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

  • Salt or salt substitute to taste

    Instructions:

  • For canned beans: Drain and rinse them using a fine mesh strainer.

  • For dried beans:

    1. Overnight Soak - Rinse the Beans: Place the dried beans in a large bowl and rinse thoroughly to remove dirt and debris. Add Water: Cover the beans with 3–4 cups of water per cup of beans. The beans will expand as they soak, so use a large enough bowl. Soak: Let the beans soak at room temperature for 8–12 hours. For convenience, do this before going to bed. Drain and Rinse: After soaking, drain the beans and rinse them with fresh water.

    2. Quick Soak - Rinse the Beans: Place the dried beans in a large pot and rinse them thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris. Add Water: Cover the beans with water, using about 3 cups of water for every cup of beans. Boil: Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Let the beans boil for 2–3 minutes. Soak: Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Drain and Rinse: After an hour, drain the beans and rinse them under cold water.

  • Cook the garlic: Heat the broth or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the garlic for about 2 minutes, or until golden.

  • Add the beans and cook them in the garlic for one minute, stirring continuously.

  • Add the veggies: Place the carrots, tomato, onion, bell pepper, and bay leaves over the beans. Pour water or broth to cover the beans by about one-half inch.

  • Cook the beans: Bring the liquid to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook covered for about 45 minutes or until the beans are softened, adding more liquid as needed to keep the beans covered. (If using canned beans, cook the vegetables and beans for 30 minutes.)

  • Blend: Remove the bay leaves. Transfer the carrots, tomato, onion, and bell pepper to a bowl with approximately one-half cup of beans. Blend until smooth. Add more beans for a thicker soup. (If there’s too much liquid in the saucepan, remove some at this point.)

  • Cook: Return the blended mixture to the saucepan with the remaining beans. Continue cooking until heated through.

  • Season: Add lemon juice to taste, and the miso, tahini, sriracha, and/or nutritional yeast as desired. Season with. Salt or salt substitute.