Healthy Potato and Bean Soup (Vegan)

This delicious and healthy Potato and Bean Soup is a light yet filling soup. It's made with crunchy cauliflower, and protein-packed Pinto beans, and comes together in just 30 minutes! Vegan and gluten-free!

Normally people think of soup as comfort food for cold, winter days or rainy evenings that leave a chill in the air.

And rightfully so, because healthy vegetable and bean soups, and stews are divine at such times.

But this Vegan Potato and Bean Soup is light and refreshing all year long!

Especially perfect for those warmer weather days when you want to eat and feel satisfied, but keep it light enough to be active and not feel weighed down.

Jump to:

• 💭 Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Chef's Tip
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🌡️ Storing
• 🍧 Similar Recipes
• Recipe

Not only this vegan cauliflower bean soup tastes great but it's packed with vegetables that will give your body some great immune-boosting help.

💭 Why This Recipe Works

• Healthy and nutritious. The cauliflower, beans, and potatoes in this vegan soup provide plenty of nutritious (and delicious) veggies that will keep you full even without feeling stuffed.
• Packed with flavor. The savory additions of onion, garlic, and herbs load this spring soup with layers of flavor.
• Versatile. Apart from the cauliflower, you can throw in any other vegetables that you have in your fridge like celery, spinach, kale, etc. Pinto beans can also be substituted for Cannellini beans or Kidney beans.
• Quick and easy. Ready in just 35 minutes, this wonderful Potato and Bean Soup makes a quick and satisfying meal for busy weekdays.

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

Ingredient Notes

While many spring cauliflower soups are chilled and/or made with a puree, this vegan potato and bean soup is tomato and vegetable broth-based.

• carrots are a powerful source of nutrition with much-needed beta carotene for eye health, as well as plenty of antioxidants;
• garlic and onions are known for keeping your body healthy, helping boost your immune system, and fighting existing infections. They are often used together because their flavors pair so beautifully, and they work well with one another for your health, too;
• cauliflower. One of the healthiest cruciferous vegetables. To get the most health benefits Dr. Greger recommends chopping the cauliflower 40 minutes prior to cooking it. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients, it's a low-carb powerhouse that is also filling. It has become very popular as a replacement for starchier rice and grains;
• potatoes. Many people dismiss potatoes as lacking in nutrition, but it's actually not true. A single serving of potatoes contains about one third your daily allotment of Vitamin C;
• beans are high in folates, a good source of vegetarian protein, and filling, and provide necessary fiber for your body. They are also rich in B vitamins. In this Potato and Bean Soup recipe, I used Pinto beans because that's what I had. You can replace them with Cannellini beans, Great Northern Beans, or Kidney beans;
• broth. You can start with homemade vegetable broth, canned broth, or even vegetable bouillon cubes and use tomato paste to create the foundation for the soup. If you have a few bay leaves on hand, add them in as well!
• olive oil. You can substitute it with a few tablespoons of water or broth if you want to make this recipe oil-free.

1. Start off by heating up 4 cups vegetable broth in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. At the same time, heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan and over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and sauté for 5 minutes. 

2. Stir in cauliflower and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Remove pan from the heat and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, dilute tomato paste in the remaining vegetable broth. It's best to use a hand whisk.

4. Add potatoes to the pot with the broth and simmer for 10 minutes over medium-high heat. The potatoes should be tender but not fully cooked.  Stir in Pinto beans, sautéed onion, cauliflower, tomato paste, and cook the soup for another 5 minutes.

5. Season the potato bean soup with the remaining salt. Add garlic, let it infuse the soup for a minute, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

6. Divide Potato and Bean soup among the bowls. Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream, a squeeze of lemon, and some chopped dill on top. I also love to serve it with some crusty bread on the side to soak up those juices.

👩🏻‍🍳 Chef's Tip

Don't underestimate the addition of garlic in the end. Unlike most soup recipes that call for sautéing garlic in olive oil, I recommend adding it in the very end and cooking for no more than 1 minute.

This simple step really unleashes a true garlic flavor and will make this Vegan Potato and Bean Soup even more aromatic and delicious.

You can use an immersion blender to blend ⅓ of the bean soup at the end. This way it will thicken without losing the texture completely.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🌡️ Storing

Let the potato and bean soup cool to room temperature and transfer to an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop.

🍧 Similar Recipes

If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

If you're looking for a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my Potato and Bean Soup web story.

Recipe