White Bean Soup - Vegan | Gluten-Free
White bean soup is a dream for weeknight dinners. It is made in one pot, is ready in 45 minutes, and is vegan, gluten-free, and loaded with protein and healthy ingredients.
Equipment
- Wooden Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Ladle
- Colander
- Cooking pot with lid
- Large pot with lid (circulon range)
- Immersion Blender
- Dutch oven (optional but not essential)
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 x 15-oz. 425g cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 onions finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic diced fine
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 large carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery diced (OPTIONAL)
- 1 15- oz. 425g Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 1 large potato diced
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1 cup frozen spinach or 2 packed cups of fresh spinach
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth vegan
- ½ tsp dried Chili pepper flakes add more for more spicy
- 1 teaspoon Coarse sea salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
For the herb bundle (called a bouquet garni in French)
- 2 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of dried thyme
- A few sprigs of dried oregano or rosemary
Instructions
Step 1 - Prepare ingredients
- Rinse and drain the canned beans. (Note: if using dried beans, see the cooking notes below on how to prepare them).2 x 15-oz.
- If using frozen spinach, thaw spinach under some warmed water, then squeeze out the excess liquid (you can use it for the veggie stock later). If using a microwave, heat your frozen blocks of spinach for around 2 minutes on high power.1 cup frozen spinach
- Dice and chop all the veggies. Keep all the veg ends and skins for the stock we are going to make in the next step.
Step 2 - Make the herb bundle
- Measure out the herbs and use half of the herbs and two bay leaves to make the herb bundle, tie the bundle using twine or string. Save the other half of the herbs for the veggie stock.2 bay leaves, A few sprigs of dried thyme, A few sprigs of dried oregano or rosemary
Step 3 - Prepare the homemade veggie stock
- Take all the veg ends and the remaining half of the herbs and add to a large pot with 4 cups of water.
- Add half an onion and a small carrot. Add 10-15 whole black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and 1-2 teaspoons of salt.2 onions, 2 large carrots, 1 teaspoon Coarse sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Bring it to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and leave it (uncovered) to bubble away while you make the rest of the soup. It will need around 20-30 minutes before it is ready.
Step 4 - Prepare the sofrito
- Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery (if using, I did not), and add to a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat with a splash of good quality olive oil (we always use extra virgin olive oil for cooking).2 onions, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 stalk celery, 2 large carrots
- Season with some salt, freshly cracked black pepper (to taste), and the red pepper flakes, and leave uncovered to cook, stirring occasionally.½ tsp dried Chili pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Coarse sea salt
- Once the veggies begin to soften and are golden (around 8-10 minutes), give the bottom of the pan a good scrape to bring up the flavor.
- Add the minced garlic, stir through, and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.4 cloves garlic
- Next, add the tomato (with the juice) and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.1 15- oz.
- Add the wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated (around 3-4 minutes).⅓ cup white wine
- Season to taste with some salt, and leave to simmer down until most of the juices from the tomatoes have evaporated.
Step 5 - Add the potatoes, beans, and veggie stock
- Add the diced potato, 4 cups of veggie stock, and the drained beans.1 large potato, 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- Season again to taste, add the herb bundle, and give everything a gentle stir.
- Bring it up to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and tender.
- NOTE: Add more veggie stock if you prefer a more soupy texture
Step 6 - Thicken soup and serve
- Remove the soup from the heat, remove the herb bundle and discard.
- Use an immersion blender (or potato masher) to blend around ⅓ of the soup. If using an immersion blender, buzz once or twice for 2 seconds each time, then check the soup consistency.
- Stir the pureed soup back into the soup and you’ll make the soup even more deliciously creamy (alternatively, stir in some breadcrumbs).
- Finally, add the thawed spinach and stir through the soup. Return to the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Season to taste with some salt and freshly cracked black pepper, add a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley and drizzle with just a splash of olive oil right before serving.
- We love serving this recipe with a few chunks of lightly toasted bread. Enjoy!