Vegan White Bean Soup is hearty and comforting. This smoky tomato-based soup is easy to make and perfect for meal prep and freezer meals. Enjoy this thick and chunky white bean soup recipe any time you want a wholesome Mediterranean inspired meal. It's like a hug in a bowl!
I received a complimentary copy of Vegan Comfort Cooking to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
I love substantial soups that are filling enough to be a meal on their own or with some warm crusty bread.
Some of the ones that are on regular rotation in my kitchen are Vegan Wild Rice Soup, Vegetable Bean Soup, and Copycat Panera Tomato Basil Soup.
And this white bean soup recipe was such a hit with my family, I'm adding it to the list.
Vegan Comfort Cooking
While I wish I could take credit for this delicious vegan white bean soup recipe, it was actually created by my friend Melanie McDonald for her cookbook Vegan Comfort Cooking: 75 Plant-Based Recipes to Satisfy Cravings and Warm Your Soul.
You may be familiar with Mel and her popular website A Virtual Vegan.
She's originally from England and how resides in British Columbia, Canada. One thing Mel is known for is veganizing traditional British favorites.
Ever since I learned Mel was working on her first cookbook, I have been eagerly awaiting its release.
And this cookbook does not disappoint.
It's divided into 5 sections:
- First, We Brunch: I'm excited to try the Rustic Skillet Potatoes, Full English Fritatta, and Blueberry Healthy Coffee Cake.
- Indulge Yourself: Here you'll find the recipe for the vegan white bean soup I'm sharing with you. And other dishes I'll be making include Vegan Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce with Fettucine, Next-Level Mushroom Lasagna, and Shepherdless Pie with Root Veg Mash.
- The Munchies: Everything looks amazing including the Easy Smashed Salt and Vinegar Potatoes and Quick and Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters with Avocado Crema.
- Sweet Talk: Drool-worthy Cinnamon Donuts, Dreamy Baked Berry Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Nutter Chocolate Cake...where do I start?!
- Bits & Bobs: Here you'll find recipes you'll use on a regular basis like Cheesy Brazil Nut "Parm" and Easy Garlic Ranch Dressing.
How to make white bean tomato soup
Making this recipe is quite simple and requires less than an hour.
And you may have all the ingredients you need in your pantry.
White bean soup ingredients:
- Olive oil: This is the most commonly used oil in the Mediterranean diet.
- Onion: A great base for any soup!
- Celery: I love the green color and bit of crunch.
- Fresh garlic: You can never have too much, in my opinion!
- Smoked paprika: Or you can substitute chipotle powder for a spicier soup.
- Ground cumin: This is another common ingredient you'll find in Mediterranean cooking as well as dishes from around the world. It's a staple in my kitchen since just a little but adds a depth of flavor.
- Tomato paste: This concentrated tomato product adds a plant-based source of umami flavor.
- Canned fire-roasted tomatoes: Rather than using regular diced tomatoes, the fire-roasted ones add to the rich and smoky flavor of the soup.
- Vegetable stock: Or you can use water with Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base.
- Sugar: You only need a tablespoon to balance out the tartness of the tomatoes. You can learn more about why this ingredient often makes an appearance in tomato-based recipes in the article The Secret Ingredient Your Tomato Sauce May Be Missing from Epicurious.
- Canned white beans: Look for white kidney beans, cannellini, or lima.
Did you know that white kidney beans and cannellini beans are the same thing?
And lima are another white bean also known as butter beans.
They are all great choices for this savory thick soup.
Or if you want to use dried beans instead of canned, simply cook the dried beans in advance using your preferred method. Then add them to the soup as stated in the recipe.
Preparing the soup
- Saute the onion and celery in olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until soft and golden brown.
- Add the garlic and seasonings and saute for a minute or two more.
- Then add the tomatoes, liquid, and beans to the pot.
- Simmer until the soup is thick enough for your liking.
It's so easy!
And you can store the cooked soup for several days in the refrigerator.
Or transfer the cooled soup to individual glass containers to freeze. Be sure to leave at least half an inch of space at the top of the container before adding the lid since the soup will expand when frozen.
When you're ready to use the frozen soup, let the containers defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave, adding a little extra liquid if you want to thin out the thickened soup.
More vegan white bean recipes
If you love white beans like I do, check out some of these delicious and easy Mediterranean recipes:
- Cannellini Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- White Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
- Easy Cannellini Bean Dip
- Sun-Dried Tomato White Bean Dip
Vegan White Bean Soup Recipe
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!
And be sure to check out the fabulous cookbook Vegan Comfort Cooking by Melanie McDonald for more delicious recipes.
Smoky Tomato and White Bean Soup
can cozily wrap your hands around on a chilly evening. It’s easy to make, easy
to eat and one of those recipes that gets even more flavorful with time, so it
is perfect for making ahead. It even freezes well. My No-Knead Focaccia (page
121) is its perfect partner. Reprinted with permission from Vegan Comfort Cooking by Melanie McDonald, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil, or water
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 27 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes, (canned) chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 Tablespoon organic sugar, (cane or granulated white sugar)
- 4½ cups cannellini beans, (or white kidney or lima beans) drained and rinsed
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil or water (for oil-free cooking) over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion and celery for about 10 minutes, until they are starting to go golden brown. If you are using water to sauté, you will need to add a little more water every few minutes to prevent the onion and celery from sticking.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Then add all the other ingredients. Stir well to combine, allow to come to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Add a little water to adjust the consistency to your liking, check the seasoning and adjust to taste; then serve.I like the soup chunky, but you can use an immersion blender right in the pan to make it
smoother and creamier, if you want to.
Jenn
Been waiting for this recipe to come into my life. I always go to my favorite Israeli restaurant to get white bean soup but theirs has oil and is spicier. This is PERFECT and I am in heaven!! Thank you.
Amy Katz
That's fantastic to hear, Jenn!
M
This soup was amazing!!!!!! I’ll double the recipe next time as it didn’t make enough.
Amy Katz
That's fantastic to hear!