This hearty vegetable bean soup recipe is budget friendly and nutritious! Made with simple vegetables, beans and pantry staples.
This is a perfect family friendly recipe you can prep ahead of time for a quick and easy meal! It also happens to be vegan and gluten-free.
This post was sponsored by Rubbermaid but the content and opinions expressed are fully my own.
Soups are the perfect fall staple meal. From vegan tomato soup to Greek lentil soup, the variety of flavors are endless! Perfect as vegan freezer meals too!
Ingredients
Prepping the components of this soup recipe in advance and keeping them in my Rubbermaid EasyFindLids System™ containers makes this easy bean soup even easier!
The name says it all, bean vegetable soup. That's what's in it! Vegetable and beans! More specifically here's what you need:
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Garbanzo beans
- Kidney beans
- Navy beans (or any white beans like great northern beans)
- Zucchini
- Diced or crushed tomatoes
- Vegetable broth, low sodium if needed
- Kale
- Italian seasoning blend
- Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil to saute
How to Make Vegetable Bean Soup
Put this soup together in just 30 minutes!
- Sauté the onion, carrots and celery in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Next, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and bay leaves.
- Add in the beans, zucchini, tomatoes and broth and simmer. Stir well. Don't boil or the vegetables will get too soft.
- Reduce the heat, add the kale to wilt and become tender.
- Serve with fresh parsley, Parmesan and/or fresh lemon juice and taste to adjust. Enjoy!
Variations
Add in extra veggies and ingredients to make this vegetable and bean soup your own!
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Squash - butternut, acorn, etc.
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Spinach
- More herbs - thyme, sage, rosemary, etc.
- Add protein - keep it vegetarian with lentils, or add some chicken
- Pasta - small shapes are best
What beans do you put in vegetable soup?
This recipe for bean and vegetable soup already has garbanzo beans, navy beans, and kidney beans. Feel free to add more or swap them out for any of these:
- Great Northern beans
- Cannellini beans
- Navy beans
- Pinto Beans
- Black Beans
- Lima beans
- Fayot beans
- Black eyed peas
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
As I mentioned before, much (if not all!) of this vegetable bean soup can be made ahead of time to keep dinnertime easier.
- If you are using dried beans cook them in advance.
- Cooked beans will keep in the Rubbermaid containers in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Clean and chop the onion, carrots, and celery and store them in one container.
- You can even measure out the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and bay leaves into another airtight container and keep at room temp.
- Once the vegetable bean soup is fully cooked, let it cool before storing.
- Store in Rubbermaid containers with the EasyFindLids System™ in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- You can also freeze the soup!
- Follow the above storage tips.
- Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the soup. This helps to prevent freezer burn.
- Seal the lid and freeze for up to 3 months.
The Best Storage Containers
Hands down, the best containers for storing meal prep components and leftovers are the Rubbermaid containers with the EasyFindLids System™!
- The lids and bases snap together which means no more searching for lost lids!
- Plus, the lids also fit multiple bases which helps to save precious room in the kitchen cabinets.
- They also nest beautifully in storage, and stack perfectly in the fridge and freezer, saving even more space.
- The BPA-free containers can also be washed in the dishwasher and microwaved!!
Common Questions
Yes! Vegetable soups are nutrient dense and contain many vitamins and minerals. They are very beneficial for your overall health and wellness.
Beans are a very healthy addition to vegetable soup! Beans of all kinds are packed with protein and fiber and are extremely healthy for your body.
When it comes to vegetable broth, there are many brands you can use. My two favorites are Cadia brand and Pacific Organic. Trader Joe's also has a good vegetable broth and is less cost wise. I like Cadia because it does not include tomatoes, which can sometimes be strong in flavor.
If you are struggling with constipation then adding more vegetables into your diet will help because they are high in fiber. Constipation often times is due to an insufficient amount of fiber in your diet and/or issues with dehydration. Vegetable soup can help with both of those.
More Bean Soup Recipes
In addition to this vegetable bean soup recipe, I have a few more cozy soups that use beans as well:
Vegetable Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped sweet or yellow onion
- ¾ cup chopped carrots
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- Drizzle of your favorite oil to sauté with or broth if oil free
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup garbanzo beans
- 1 cup kidney beans
- 1 cup navy beans
- ¾ cup chopped zucchini
- 1 can diced/crushed tomatoes with liquid (14.5 ounces)
- 6 cups veggie broth
- 3 cups chopped kale
Optional topping:
- Parmesan dairy free if preferred
- Fresh Parsley chopped
- Fresh lemon
Instructions
- Sauté onion, carrots and celery over medium heat with a drizzle of oil, until it becomes translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Sauté 1-2 minutes until everything mixes well.
- Add beans, zucchini, tomatoes and broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer, about 5-6 minutes.
- Turn the heat back down to medium, add the kale and simmer about 5 minutes until wilted.
- Serve with optional parmesan and/or parsley.
Notes
- Sub in any veggies you prefer, see post for ideas.
- There are many beans you can use, see post for ideas.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
CJ
Good Recipe for a base to work with and add on to. I added 1/2 Tbsp paprika and a tiny bit of lemon. Didn’t use the bay leaf. Then added about 1/2 cup of coconut cream at the end. I did cook it longer because my kids like their veggies not so crunchy. Overall great base soup recipe!
Sophia DeSantis
Thanks so much! I love the modifications you made!