15 Bean Soup Recipe [Easy to Make, No Ham!]

15 Bean Soup Recipe [Easy to Make, No Ham!]

15 Bean Soup is a vegetarian bean soup recipe you’ll love! Easily made in the slow cooker, instant pot or on the stove for a cheap meal! So hearty, filling and easy to make!

a large bowl of 15 bean soup with spoons and a dutch oven on the side on a grey background

 

This vegetarian 15 bean soup recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Secretly healthy and super filling, this veggie loaded soup is also really budget friendly!

The bean soup mix is under $2.50. Add in a few flavorful veggies, canned tomatoes, broth and you’re looking at maybe $7 to make a huge pot. It comes out to less than .80 cents per serving!

Liz’s Tips for the Best Bean Soup

  • Make sure to soak the beans for at least 8 hours. 24 hours or allowing them to soak overnight is even better.
  • Toss the seasoning packet that comes in the bag. You’re better off seasoning the soup with your own dried spices!
  • Customize it to your liking! There are a lot of substitutions listed in the green box below, feel free to add more veggies or meat like sausage or ham to this recipe!

Ingredients

Ingredients for 15 bean soup in white bowls on a grey background: olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaf, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, crushed tomatoes, broth (veggie or chicken broth), water, 15 bean soup mix Ingredients for 15 bean soup in white bowls on a grey background: olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaf, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, crushed tomatoes, broth (veggie or chicken broth), water, 15 bean soup mix

Where can I buy 15 bean soup? I always find this 15 bean soup mix at Walmart, it’s the cheapest there. This is the brand of dry mix I buy, but other 15 bean or mixed dry beans will work too, including the Goya brand.

Substitutions.

Beans: You can make this soup with any dried beans (navy, cannellini, black bean, etc.) Most stores sell a 15 bean soup mix, or you can buy it online.

Veggies: Feel free to add other veggies to this soup. Mushrooms and zucchini are delicious additions. I also sometimes stir in kale or spinach at the end when the soup is done cooking.If you don’t have carrots, celery, or onion – omit them. You can add 1 teaspoon of onion powder or garlic powder instead!

Canned Beans: Cut the cook time in half if using canned beans. We also love this Tuscan White Bean Soup.

Broth: If you like a broth-ier soup, add more liquid. The beans absorb the liquid as they cook, and thicken due to the starches during/after cooking. You may need to add more broth if eating the next day/reheating! You can use chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth or your favorite bone broth.

Spicy Soup: If you would like to add some spice, try topping it with your favorite hot sauce or adding red pepper flakes to taste.

Parmesan Cheese Rind: I love to add a parmesan cheese rind into the soup while it’s cooking. It adds more flavor and can easily be removed at the end like a bay leaf. This soup is also great when topped with fresh parmesan cheese.

Additions:

  • 15 Bean Soup with Chicken: Add 1 lb raw chicken breasts to this soup when it starts to cook. Before serving, remove chicken breasts from the soup, shred them on a cutting board, and stir shredded chicken back into the pot.
  • 15 Bean Soup with Sausage: Smoked sausage is great in this recipe. Quarter smoked sausage. Brown in olive oil before sautéing the veggies in this recipe and follow the recipe otherwise.
  • 15 Bean Soup with Ham Hocks: You can add 1 lb chopped cooked ham to this recipe. You could also use leftover ham or throw in leftover ham bone or ham hocks while the soup is cooking, just remove the ham hocks before serving or check out this Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup!
  • Ground Beef Bean Soup: You can brown 1 lb of ground beef in the pan before sautéing your vegetables.

Soaking beans for Vegetarian Bean Soup

The most important step is soaking your beans ahead of time. Make sure to soak the beans for at least 8 hours, but 24 hours or allowing them to soak overnight is even better.

Soaking the beans is an important step for the soup and if you don’t soak the beans ahead of time your soup will not cook the same. Soaking the beans for bean soup not only affects the cook time but also affects the flavor. 

It also can help to make the beans easier to digest.

A bowl of mixed beans with 15 bean soup mix on the side a dry bean mixA bowl of mixed beans with 15 bean soup mix on the side a dry bean mix

What beans are in 15 bean soup? The Bean Soup mix I use is made up of: northern, pinto beans, large lima beans, yellow eye, garbanzo, baby lima, green split peas, kidney, cranberry, small white, pink, small red, yellow split peas, lentil, navy beans, white kidney, black beans.

How to make Bean Soup

Sautéd onion and garlic with celery and carrots added to make 15 bean soup in a dutch oven with the dry bean mix on the sideSautéd onion and garlic with celery and carrots added to make 15 bean soup in a dutch oven with the dry bean mix on the side
  1. Sauté onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in celery and carrots. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
All ingredients for 15 bean soup in a large pot before being mixed or cookedAll ingredients for 15 bean soup in a large pot before being mixed or cooked
  1. Add bay leaves, tomatoes, broth, water, and drained beans.
15 bean soup in a large pot fully cooked15 bean soup in a large pot fully cooked
  1. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and let the soup simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring every few minutes.
a ladle taking a scoop out of a dutch oven of 15 bean soupa ladle taking a scoop out of a dutch oven of 15 bean soup
  1. Once cooked, remove bay leaf + serve.

How do you know when the beans are done cooking? Beans are done cooking when they start to soften. The best way to know is to taste test them! If the skins of the beans are starting to come off that could mean that they are overcooked so be careful!

a white bowl full of easy bean soup on a grey backgrounda white bowl full of easy bean soup on a grey background

Serving suggestions

This soup is very filling on it’s own, but you could also serve it alongside: 

a white bowl of 15 bean soup with a spoon taking a bite out of it with a dutch oven (large pot) and bowl of soup in the backgrounda white bowl of 15 bean soup with a spoon taking a bite out of it with a dutch oven (large pot) and bowl of soup in the background

Storage

Storing: This bean soup will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container.

Reheating: You can reheat your soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. If frozen, defrost the night before in your refrigerator, or heat on the stovetop.

Can you freeze bean soup? Yes, you can freeze bean soup for up to 3 months! Let leftover soup cool to room temperature before transferring it to a freezer safe container. I love these molds for freezing leftovers.

an overhead shot of a bowl of 15 bean soup with spoons on the side on a grey backgroundan overhead shot of a bowl of 15 bean soup with spoons on the side on a grey background
a bowl of 15 bean soup with spoons on the side on a grey backgrounda bowl of 15 bean soup with spoons on the side on a grey background

15 Bean Soup (Vegetarian)

15 Bean Soup is a vegetarian bean soup recipe everyone will love! Vegan, high protein, tasty & easily made in the slow cooker, instant pot or on the stove. This is the best bean soup recipe. So hearty, filling and easy to make!

Prep Time : 10 minutes

Cook Time : 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time : 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves : 8 1.5 cup servings

(hover over # to adjust)

Instructions

Stove Top Instructions

  • Important: Before making this soup recipe you must soak the beans for at least 8 hours. 24 hours is best. This helps them to cook, and also helps with digestion. If you do not soak them it will change your cook time and also can affect the taste of the soup.

  • Rinse and drain soaked beans.

  • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add in onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Add soaked beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, water and and spices to the pot. Stir together.

  • Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every few minutes.

  • Once cooked, remove bay leaf + serve.

Crockpot Instructions:

  • Important: Before making this soup recipe you must soak the beans for at least 8 hours. 24 hours is best. This helps them to cook, and also helps with digestion. If you do not soak them it will change your cook time and also can affect the taste of the soup.

  • Rinse and drain soaked beans.

  • (Cooking vegetables ahead is optional, but recommended for best flavor) In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add in onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Transfer sautéed vegetables to the crockpot base. Add soaked beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, water and and spices to the pot. Stir together.

  • Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

  • Once cooked, remove bay leaf + serve.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Important: Before making this soup recipe you must soak the beans for at least 8 hours. 24 hours is best. This helps them to cook, and also helps with digestion. If you do not soak them it will change your cook time and also can affect the taste of the soup.

  • Rinse and drain soaked beans.

  • Set instant pot to Sauté for 5 minutes. Heat olive oil. Add in onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Stir in celery and carrots. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes. 

  • Add soaked beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, water and and spices to the pot. Stir together. Make sure to scrape any bits of onion or garlic off the bottom of the pan with a spoon to avoid a burn notice.

  • Set to sealing, pressure cook for 11 minutes. It will take the soup about 20-30 minutes to come to pressure.

  • Once cooked, quick release the pressure. Stir, remove bay leaf + serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1.5cups soup | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 1209mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5616IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *