Two of my favorite foods — soup and beans — combine in this recipe to create the perfect Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup! You should be able to find a package of 15 Bean Soup in just about any grocery store. It’s traditionally used to make Ham & Bean Soup, but for this version, we discarded the salt-laden seasoning packet and opted instead for delicious plant-based sources of umami.

Nutritional yeast adds nuttiness, umami seasoning adds a depth of flavor and balsamic vinegar helps take the soup to another level. My favorite part about the soup is the addition of Parmesan bones, aka Parmesan rinds. As the soup is simmering, the rind softens and flavors the liquid. Think about it this way: if cheese tastes good sprinkled on top, it definitely tastes good infused into the broth. If you’re vegan, go ahead and skip this step and maybe add a bit extra nutritional yeast.

This Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup is perfect for meal prep and eating for lunch throughout the week. It’s high in fiber, low in bad fat, packed with veggies and is the ultimate plant-based, protein-packed soup!

INGREDIENTS

1 -20 oz. bag of 15 Bean Soup mix, flavor pack removed
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 large carrots, peeled & diced
4 celery stalks, cleaned & diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 T. olive oil
3 T. tomato paste
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. dried basil
2 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. Trader Joe’s Multipurpose Umami Seasoning (optional)
28 oz. can of tomato sauce
Juice of half a lemon
2 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. nutritional yeast
2 t. white sugar
2 bay leaves
1-2 Parmesan rinds (optional)
6 c. vegetable broth
Salt & pepper, to taste

STEPS

1) Pour the beans in a large pot or bowl and cover with 8 cups of water. Let soak for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans once they’re done soaking and set aside.

2) Heat 3 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or skillet. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onion and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add the tomato paste, oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and umami seasoning (optional). Stir well to combine. If the mixture is seeming a bit dry and is starting to burn, add a touch of water or some of the tomato sauce. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Add the tomato sauce, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

5) Add the drained beans to a crock pot along with 6 c. vegetable broth, 2 bay leaves and the Parmesan rinds (optional). Pour the tomato sauce mixture into the crock pot and stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 hours. After 10 hours, check the beans to see if they’re soft enough — I ended up cooking my soup for about 11 hours. Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rinds, then ladle into a bowl and serve!