You may have noticed that I like my soups very bright and very green, (see Peapod & Little Gem Soup!), and if they are creamy and super-tasty too. that’s a bonus.
If you’re taking part in Veganuary and trying to make sure you get a protein boost at every mealtime, adding beans to your lunchtime soup before blending is such an easy way of doing this. Not only do they bulk out the soup, (very cheaply), but once blended they add a creamy texture which makes your soup taste like it has a generous slug of double cream in it, when in fact it is vegan!
I topped mine with a swirl of coconut yoghurt and some fresh basil, just to add to the decadance but this would be great with garlicky croutons, some shavings of vegan parmesan or just a hunk of crusty bread instead.
My trusty Optimum Blender makes light work of blending this into a super-smooth soup, but if you don’t have a high-speed blender just keep blending and tasting until you’re happy with the consistency.
- 2 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp ready-chopped garlic / garlic purée
- 1 head broccoli
- 400 g tin cannellini beans
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- large handful baby spinach
- 3 tbsp dairy-free yoghurt (soya or coconut)
- small handful fresh basil leaves
- half a lemon
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Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Peel and slice the onion and add to the saucepan, followed by the garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften.
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Chop the stalk off the broccoli, trim off its woody end, and peel off the outer skin. Chop the stalk finely and add to the pan. Chop the remaining head of broccoli into small florets and add to the pan.
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Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and add to the pan. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 7-8 minutes until the broccoli is just soft. Season well with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.
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Add the spinach to the soup, then blitz it very thoroughly until completely smooth in a blender, food processor or with a hand blender - this may take a minute or two, so keep going! If the soup seems too thick, just add a little more water and blitz again.
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Finely chop the basil, and mix it with the dairy-free yoghurt in a small bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, mix well, then drizzle over the bowls of soup just before serving.
For more bean-packed soups, take a look at:
- Ciara’s Easy Minestrone Soup from My Fussy Eater
- Laura’s Moroccan Spiced Chickpea & Harissa Soup from How to Cook Good Food
- Choclette’s Smoky Mexican Bean Soup from Tin & Thyme
- Jac’s Low Calorie Minestrone Soup from Tinned Tomatoes
- Helen’s Pasta & Cannellini Bean Soup from Family Friends Food
And don’t forget that my new book Vegan in 15 is out now, and available to order on Amazon, (whoop!). Many thanks for your support!
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I’m linking this recipe with a number of food blog challenges:
- No Croutons Required at Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa’s Kitchen
- No Waste Food Challenge (as it uses the whole broccoli head including stalk!) at Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Cook Once Eat Twice at Searching for Spice
- CookBlogShare at Easy Peasy Foodie
- Recipe of the Week at A Mummy Too
I love creamy broccoli soup, but I have never added beans to it. What a great idea to add some protein.
This soup looks delicious and I love the vibrant colour 😀 Beans are a staple in my kitchen. Healthy, delicious and cheap 😉
Nadia recently posted…Coffee Blackcurrant Banana Ice Cream
What a lovely idea to add beans to broccoli soup!
Jan Bennett recently posted…Healthy Diet – Lose Weight – Lets’s do this Together
Wow I love the colour of this soup! Broccoli is a favourite veg of mine so I would love this soup for lunch x #CookBlogShare
What a fab colour Kate. It sounds delicious with lots of lovely ingredients, but it’s that green that really appeals 😉
Choclette recently posted…Golden Turmeric Latte – Why This is The Best Drink in Town
This looks so delicious Kate. I’m definitely trying it for lunch one day this week! Have yummed and pinned it too!
Oh what a fab colour – and lovely ingredients! I’m not sure I’ve ever blended a soup containing beans before – I normally keep them chunky. I’m going to have to try that now! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com recently posted…Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Yum, this soup looks so delicious! It’s only recently that I started adding cannellini beans into my soups, they make any soup really filling, all that protein and fibre!
Petra recently posted…What to consider when buying a healthy eating book
Hi I’m planning to make this ahead of time and to take into work to have as lunches. Would it be OK to add the basil and yogurt (or soya cream as I need to use it up!) while I’m cooking it? Then I can just take it out and reheat and work? Thanks
Yes absolutely – cream would be fine to reheat, yoghurt might go a bit funny on reheating so might be better to leave it out altogether. It it still really creamy without it!
Just had this for lunch. It was divine! Quite possibly the best vegetarian soup I have made! Thanks for sharing.
Oh that’s great to hear, thanks so much Jenny! x
What a gorgeous looking soup, and I love how the whole broccoli goes into it. Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge!
Elizabeth recently posted…Cauliflower, Bacon & Brie Soup
oh my freaking god, this sounds so amazing! i’ll have to try it tomorrow, already making a list with all the ingredients! thanks for the recipe! if you wanna explore more vegan food recipes, feel free to head over to my blog eatwholegreens and browse through 🙂
cheers, steffi | eatwholegreens.com
I just happen to have a real big broccoli in my fridge which will go into this soup
thanks!