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4.9 from 30 votes

Healthy Potato and Bean Soup (Vegan)

This delicious and healthy Vegetable Bean Soup is the perfect potato and bean soup that's light yet filling. It's made with crunchy cauliflower and protein-packed pinto beans and comes together in just 30 minutes! What's best is that it's entirely vegan and gluten-free too!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 357 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Soup
Cuisine: Ukrainian

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil (or use water to make it oil-free)
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 medium carrot diced
  • ½ medium cauliflower cut into florets
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 4 medium potatoes cubed
  • 5 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic pushed through a garlic press
  • 3 tablespoon Dill chopped, for serving
  • 4 tablespoon sour cream optional, for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large pot bring 4 cup of vegetable broth to a boil. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan and over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and sauté for 7 minutes until translucent.
  2. Stir in cauliflower and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Remove pan from the heat and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, dilute tomato paste in the remaining 1 cup of vegetable broth.
  4. Add potatoes to a pot with a broth and cook for 10 minutes until potatoes are tender but not fully cooked. Stir in beans, sauteed onion and cauliflower, tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes.
  5. Season the soup with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Add garlic, let it infuse the soup for a minute and remove from the heat. Adjust the seasoning.
  6. Divide Cauliflower Bean soup among the bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped dill.

Notes

  • Cauliflower: To get the most health benefits out of it, Dr. Greger recommends chopping the cauliflower 40 minutes prior to cooking it.
  • Beans: You can replace pinto beans with cannellini beans, great northern beans, or kidney beans. To prevent the beans from becoming mushy, add them towards the end of the cooking time. This will make sure that the beans retain their texture and don’t overcook.
  • Garlic: Don't underestimate the addition of garlic in the end. Unlike most recipes that call for sautéing garlic in olive oil, I recommend adding it at the very end and cooking for no more than 1 minute.
  • This simple step unleashes a true garlic flavor and will make this cauliflower and bean soup even more aromatic and delicious.
  • Recipe add-ons: Add diced jalapeños and a can of diced tomatoes along with green chilies to give this soup a spicy twist. 
  • Spice up the soup with a blend of curry powder, turmeric, and cumin.
  • Vegetables. Feel free to substitute or add any vegetables that you prefer or have on hand. Sweet potatoes, green beans, corn, celery stalks, and zucchini all work great.
  • Blend one-third: You can use an immersion blender to blend ⅓ of the bean soup at the end. This way, it will thicken without losing its texture completely.
  • Storage. Let the potato and bean soup cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 5 days. 
  • Reheating. When reheating the soup, you can do so on the stovetop or in the microwave. If reheating on the stovetop, pour the desired amount of soup into a pot and heat it over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally to guarantee even heating.
  • If reheating in the microwave, transfer the desired amount of soup to a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap, and heat it in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
  • Freezing. This soup is best when eaten fresh, but if you decide to freeze it, please know that the texture and consistency of all the vegetables might change.
  • To freeze, portion it out among freezer-friendly containers, allowing some room for expansion. Lay them flat in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition Information

Calories 357kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 56.4g (19%) Protein 15.1g (30%) Fat 9.8g (15%) Saturated Fat 1.6g (8%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 1975mg (82%) Potassium 1689mg (48%) Fiber 11.1g (44%) Sugar 9.5g (19%) Calcium 130mg (13%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 357

% Daily Value*

Calories 357kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 56.4g 19%
Protein 15.1g 30%
Fat 9.8g 15%
Saturated Fat 1.6g 8%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 1975mg 82%
Potassium 1689mg 36%
Fiber 11.1g 44%
Sugar 9.5g 19%
Calcium 130mg 13%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.