THIS is one of those soups that makes you feel good about your health and is still incredibly delicious and satisfying. Beans are probably the most underrated super food. They’re packed full of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, while still being super inexpensive and shelf stable. And when you get 15 different varieties all in one pot, you’ve got a serious nutrition powerhouse! I decided to make it a Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup (it’s actually vegan) this week, but you could always add some bacon, a smoked ham hock, or smoked turkey leg to your soup for a little extra smoky flavor.
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What Kind of Beans Do I Use?
“15 Bean Soup” mixes are fairly common in most major grocery stores, and they are sold right along side the other dry beans. I used Hurst’s Brand, which are in many major grocery stores. They’re basically just a mix of 15 bean varieties in one bag, and they’re quite beautiful, with all their different colors, patterns, and sizes. They usually come with a seasoning packet, just like instant ramen, but I prefer to add my own herbs and spices.
What to Serve with Bean Soup
While this soup itself is vegan, I ended up topping it with some shaved parmesan. Other good toppings would be a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt (you could do coconut yogurt to keep it vegan), or even some shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack. And I definitely suggest serving with some crusty bread on the side (try this no-knead bread).
How to Store the Leftovers
This Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup will freeze great, so don’t be afraid of the recipe’s large volume! Just divide it up after cooking, cool, then transfer to the freezer for long term storage. This soup does take some time to prepare, but most of it is passive time. So plan this recipe for a weekend or your day off so you can keep an eye on it while double tasking with something fun, like watching a movie. :) And don’t forget to start soaking the beans the night before!
Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup
Servings 8 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 lb. 15 bean soup mix* (2.69)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil** ($0.44)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 4 carrots ($0.45)
- 3 ribs celery ($0.46)
- 6 cups water ($0.00)
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.49)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.10)
- 1 tsp oregano ($0.10)
- 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.15)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley ($0.22)
- to taste salt ($0.02)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar ($0.04)
Instructions
- The night before, place the beans in a large bowl and add cool water until the beans are covered with twice as much water as the beans. Let the beans soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours, in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to begin cooking, drain the beans in a colander and rinse them well with fresh water. Set the beans aside so they can begin to warm up.
- Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Add the garlic, onion, and coconut oil to a large soup pot. Sauté over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
- While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice the celery and carrot. Once the onions have softened, add the carrot and celery to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes more, or just until the celery starts to soften.
- Add the beans to the pot along with 6 cups of water, and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring it up to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, turn the heat down to low or medium-low, and let the beans simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 90 minutes, the beans should be quite soft and have broken down a bit, causing the water to look slightly thick and cloudy. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and parsley to the pot. Stir to combine, then let the soup simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Taste the soup and add salt to taste (I added 1.5 tsp). Finally, stir in the apple cider vinegar. Keep in mind that as the soup is stored in the refrigerator, the salt may absorb into the beans and taste more muted. You may need to add more salt the next day.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make 15 Bean Soup – Step by Step Photos
The night before place 1 pound of the dry 15 bean mix (do not use the seasoning packet) in a large bowl. Cover it with enough water so there is double the amount of water as beans. Refrigerate the beans overnight, or for at least 8 hours. This is what they look like after soaking. When you’re ready to start cooking, drain the beans in a colander and rinse them well with fresh water.
Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onions, garlic, and 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or your favorite cooking oil) to a large pot. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.
While the onions and garlic are cooking, peel and dice 4 carrots, and dice 3 ribs of celery. Add them to the pot and continue to sauté just until the celery begins to soften (about 5 minutes more).
Add the rinsed and drained beans…
And 6 cups of water. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let it come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low or medium low, and let it continue to simmer for 90 minutes. Stir it occasionally as it simmers.
After it’s simmered for 90 minutes, the beans should be very soft and be breaking down. The broth will look all cloudy like this, and kind of pale in color.
Now it’s time to add those top note flavors! Add one 15oz. can of diced tomatoes (with the juices), 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, some freshly cracked pepper, and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. Stir everything to combine, then let the soup simmer for another 20 minutes or so.
And now it’s looking much more vibrant. BUT we haven’t added ANY salt yet, so the flavors are still quite muted. Now it’s time to season with salt to taste. I ended up using 1.5 tsp, but I suggest starting with 1/2 tsp, and increasing from there until the flavors really pop. Keep in mind that as you refrigerate this, the salt will absorb into the beans some and become more muted, so you may need to add more the next day.
Finally, stir in a couple teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to brighten it all up, and it’s done!
Great soup! I added in potatoes and omitted the oil. Cooked it all in my instant pot. Very tasty!
Beth, I thank you for this most delicious recipe. Although I forgot to add the apple cider vinegar, it doesn’t need it and although it is more like a stew or chili then a soup, it is oh my goodness, so delicious. I added a cup of roasted small chickpeas. I just wanted to stretch the recipe for some strange reason. I used a can of fire roasted dice tomatoes. I did purchase some vegetarian broth to make it more soupy.
made this twice so far and there will be a third time….thank you.
I definitely agree with you, Bob.
Very nice! I left a couple things out because I didn’t have them. I thought I should add veggie broth rather than water but the recipe is fine as is! Very flavorful without broth.
This soup is absolutely delicious. I did need to add more salt and back pepper, but those are minor adjustments based on personal tastes. The one thing to note is that, like most stews and soups, it tastes much better after it sits overnight in the fridge. I also found another way to make it much thicker (although I stumbled upon my secret unintentionally, and it’s a bit of a hassle to clean up): if you use a pot that’s not quite big enough, a lot of the extra water will boil over onto your stovetop––and the the soup ended up being really thick!
I’ve got a very large bag of mixed beans. How many cups should I use for the soup recipe as posted? Thanks!
It should be about two cups then.
Very delicious and filing! Really surprised how good this is
I made this vegan soup today and I am so glad I did. I used 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 13 Bean Mix, soaked overnight. I followed your recipe almost to the letter (in my mind soup recipes are mostly just a guideline!) I found it didn’t need to be cooked quite as long. It is so, so, so good! I will definitely be making this again. I have enough beans left to make another batch, and will then go buy more. I love batch cooking, and freeze in single portions to use for my lunches at work. I like to make a few different soups to freeze so I’m not eating the same kind every day. I am also going to take another commenter’s tip to separate out a few servings and combine with cooked rice to make burritos. I bet that will also be good!
This soup will be a good start to eating more beans in 2024! Happy New Year!
I’ve just copied recipe. Sounds good but have not made it yet.
I was excited about making this soup because it’s different than on the back of the 15 bean soup package recipe. I had a couple of bites before I put the apple cider vinegar in, and it was pretty good. After I added the apple cider vinegar I didn’t care for it that much. I didn’t think 2 teaspoons would change the taste that much, but it did. I would leave that out, and it may need more than 1 1/2 tsp of salt.
Your bean soup is delicious! My hubby and I are really enjoying it! So nourishing, so flavorful! Thank you for the recipe.
Why toss out the seasoning packet? I would prefer using less of my own ingredients, and using the seasoning packet (to save money & to simplify.)
I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to write a review for this recipe considering I’ve made it so many times. As written, the recipe is 5/5. Delicious, comforting, and filling. I made a few changes this last time I made this soup and it took it to the next level (didn’t know it was possible)! I also prepared it in my Ninja Foodi :)
The only changes I made this time were to sub vegetable broth in place of water and to also add Trader Joe’s mushroom seasoning and vegan fish sauce in place of salt. It added this incredible umami flavor.
For the Ninja Foodi directions (and it came out just as good), I used the sauté function to cook the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. I then added my vegetable broth and beans and pressure cooked on high for 15 minutes and let it naturally release for 15 more minutes. I then added my seasonings and tomatoes and then pressure cooked it for 5 more minutes. I manually released the pressure and was so excited to eat it that I forgot the coconut oil and apple cider vinegar at the end. It was still absolutely delicious.
Thank you so much for giving us fantastic and healthy recipes!
I am going to make your bean soup. Is it possible to make it in the Crockpot?
Absolutely. It will take longer than 3 hours, of course. Check in on it after five hours and taste the beans for softness. XOXO -Monti
Sitting here with a bowl of 15 bean soup right now. Didn’t have smoked paprika, I have a hard time finding it, but overall soup is quite good.
Because there is so much, I pulled out two cups of soup, added some rice and after running to the store for good Mexican cheese, I intend to use this to make enchiladas. I am optimistic when the rice soaks up the extra broth, the consistency will be just right.
Thanks for this recipe.
Sweet. I came here strictly for your homemade soup seasoning. I am lacto-ovo vegetarian (no fish, meat or poultry, but I consume dairy & eggs) and have been buying the Hursts 15 Bean Soup. The little seasoning packet included says ‘HAM FLAVOR’ on it and obviously, being vegetarian, I don’t want that, so thank you for the seasoning recipe. Why did Hursts ruin a perfect vegetarian bean soup mix with ham flavor seasoning?
I have a 2 quart Crock Pot (small b/c I live in an apartment). First time I made Hursts 15 Bean Soup I did the whole bag. IMO it was too much for the 2qt crock, so I cut it in half before I soaked beans & stored half the bean mix in a Ball Mason Jar to cook next week, so the entire bag gives me 2 weeks of beans
I’m a little delayed to this, but vegetarian-turned-vegan to vegetarian here: the Hurst’s HamBeens soup flavoring actually is vegan. Their FAQ actually clarifies that it’s free from any animal byproducts, and that’s how it’s able to be Kosher. However, I find it mostly just tastes like smoke and chemicals, so I vastly prefer to use Beth’s seasoning mix instead!
Getting ready to make this! Is the vinegar needed for a specific reason? That’s the only thing that i hesitate to put in …. Let me know!!
It just kind of lightens the soup up a bit and adds some brightness to the flavor profile. :) You can get away without adding it, but it definitely takes the soup to the next level.
Thank you for the reply, will try the vinegar!!
I was asked to cook for a large group, kind of last minute. I knew I wanted soup and had to accommodate vegans as well as meat eaters. I made this and it was delicious. I added some more veggies (some chopped yellow squash and a few diced potatoes) and subbed Rotel chopped tomatoes and green chilies for a bit of spice. Very good! For the people who missed meat I just added some cooked sausage and peppers on the side they could add if they wanted. This recipe makes a lot and it is very hearty even though I did add a bit more water than the recipe indicated (I’m always a bit nervous about burning beans!). thank you!
This is delicious! Your recipes are always spot-on – I made this exactly as instructed (1.5 tsp salt was perfect), and it is *so* hearty, filling, and flavorful! It has major visual appeal, too. I sometimes struggle with bean dishes looking kind of boring and monotonous, but there are so many different colors, flavors, and textures going on. And finally, it makes a LOT! That’s my work lunches sorted for the next week or so, with plenty leftover to freeze.
Thanks for this recipe. I made this today for lunch and simply followed your recipe. It turned out perfect. While serving I sprinkled little bit of crushed red peppers to make it a bit spicy. Delicious.
Great recipe!! Just wanted to add — I used my electric pressure cooker/instant pot at low pressure for 40 minutes and all the beans were cooked perfectly. (I still soaked the beans for about 6 hours)
You could probably get away with not soaking and cooking for 40 minutes on high pressure. I think beans come out better after soaking though.
looks great! I think though there is an error in the nutritional info as there is more fibre (49gms? ) per serving than total carbohydrates which is impossible.
Lol, you’re right! That is impossible. :P Let me run it through the calculator again.
Just finished making these beans and gave a taste and wow! So delicious! The only things I did not use were cayenne & parsley since I did not have. I also added some fresh dill, just a tiny amount and fresh thyme.
I must have done something wrong – after 70 minutes of simmering, I checked and the soup was extremely thick. I mixed in all ingredients at that point and didn’t do any more cooking. It was so thick we were able to eat it with a fork. Besides that, it was really good and I will probably try to make again! It may have been user error, but I thought I followed the recipe to a T.
Did you maybe use a bag of beans that was 20oz instead of 16? I did that the first time and had the same problem. Now I just add two extra cups of water (except I use broth) if I’m using the 20oz bag I usually find at the store.
this recipe is a true WINNER.
it makes a bunch and freezes well.
i try to eat 3 servings a day and having this in the fridge or freezer makes it easy.
i meant to say i eat 3 SERVINGS OF BEANS a day
I made this today and I am impressed. I have been struggling to make vegan recipes that aren’t Mexican food haha. It was so filling and so tasty.
I could really taste the fresh parsley from my garden and I was so surprised by how spicy it was. It went perfectly with bread and I can’t believe it’s not butter. Now I just need to make the bread to go with it haha.
Thank you for sharing this, I’m going to snoop through your other vegan friendly recipes. I really enjoy your budget break down as well. I will definitely share this one.
Made this one with a generic “mixed bean” bag, and cooked it in vegetable puree (I used a pre-prepared one from the store, but it is easy to make, too) and added potatoes. I like it and it will become a regular!
I use a lot of dry beans so I slowly filled a jar with chickpeas, kidney, black, pinto, red/brown lentils, and green/yellow split peas. It ended up being 20 oz instead of the 1 lb Beth used, so I added a cup of water. I made sure to boil for at least 10 minutes before turning down to simmer due to the kidney beans. It needed a lot of salt (probably a full tbsp). This is even better the next day after sitting in the fridge. So cheap too!
Excellent, I used spinach instead of carrots, and home stewed, canned toms with a quick pulse in the blender. Dried parsley works fine. Really a nice meal!
Super Good!
Really enjoyed the soup! A bit on the spicy side for our family’s taste, but served with cornbread to help with the spice and it was a lovely meal! Great for sharing too.
Can you use a slow cooker? If so, how would this work?
I probably wouldn’t use a slow cooker for this one, since some beans need a more vigorous boiling than you can get in a slow cooker to break down a natural toxin they contain. Beans in the kidney bean family need to be boiled heavily for at least ten minutes, so it’s not advised that they be cooked in a slow cooker.
I absolutely loved this soup!! Often simple recipes just don’t turn out well for me but this was a major exception. We ate it after almost 2 hours simmering but later I put the leftovers on to simmer some more because they were still slightly hard (even though I soaked for about 18 hours!). The main change I made was to add crushed tomatoes rather than diced. It was truly delicious. Served with broccolini and cornbread. Thank you!
Great recipe. Made this tonight in my pressure cooker. I didn’t measure my seasonings cause I was too lazy, Omitted the pepper – I couldn’t find it in my cupboard 😔, added a bay leaf and veggie bouillon and it turned out great! Love the cornbread accompaniment I’ll make some tomorrow to go with the leftovers. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks all of the suggestions!!! I was concerned about the impact of the vinegar, but I guess it wasn’t tasted or otherwise noticed too much. I look forward to trying it!
Absolutely delish! I was worried about the apple cider vinegar because I’m not a huge fan and I was afraid it would ruin the dish, but I trusted the recipe because I’ve never not liked something I’ve made from Budget Bytes. So glad I did. It really added a nice note of flavor. My whole family loved it. I served it with cornbread (even though that is a little unconventional for this type of soup.) It was so good. Will definitely make it again!
This soup is simply delicious. I added 4 cups of vegetable broth, one escarole salad cut into small pieces, 1 sweet patato and a chopped leek as I wanted more veggies and it came out very good. I simply added a little more spices because of the additional broth and veggies. Thank you for the recipe! Will be making this recipe again in both the original and my added veggie versions.
I don’t buy the over-priced bean mixtures ut use some of all the dried beans I keep on hand. It isn’t always 15, but it is good and even better-priced.
I’d like to thank you for the recipe. Since I first tried it home, it became a regular meal. I love it. I make it in a thermal pot to limit energy cost and I love that it’s quick to make and I can then take care of the kids while it simmers.
We love it with toppings like nutritional yeast (for a cheese-like taste) or crushed nuts or diced avocados.
This is an excellent and very inexpensive soup. We make it every couple of months. One trick to make it extra tasty is to add Trader Joe’s Vegan Chorizo ($2.29). Add it after the onions and before the carrot and celery. If you like it extra spicy, add a couple of chilies in adobo (diced)and some of the sauce.
We also make our own mix of beans, buying bulk beans and lentils.
Forgot the rating! 5-stars all the way.
very very bland. i read the comments and added tomato paste and a ton more spices but it was too watery tasting.
My non-vegan boyfriend loved it!! Although a bit spicy for my like, he said it reminded him a lot of the Chili sold at Wendy’s. But obviously without the meat, and done at home so it’s a big plus!!! I left out the parsley because I didn’t have any at hand, and ate it with a side of Whole Rice, and it came out amazing. I also used normal paprika instead of smoked and it came out well. Used 2 jumbo carrots and came out a little too carrot-y for most, so one big jumbo carrot could do the job. Thank you for the recipe!
Also, in case you are lazy and forgetful. Boil the beans for 5-6 minutes on high then let sit for an hour. Quick rehydration :)
Just made this for dinner tonight, and it turned out great! I substituted crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes (that’s all I had), and doubled the amount of cumin (I love cumin!!), but otherwise followed the recipe as written. This made such a hearty, satisfying bowl of soup, with plenty for leftovers! This recipe is definitely going into my rotation!
We found as is a little bland. We increased all the spices except the cayenne and it was so good! Thank you!
This soup is amazing!! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. The whole family loved it.
This soul was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. The whole family loved it!!
So yummy! At the end if the cooking time, I took about 1/3 of the soup out and puréed with my immersion blender then tossed it back in just to make it a bit thicker. Also added a large handful of fresh spinach.
15 bean soup is one of my go to’s. you can buy ten bean or 15 bean dry bean in bulk as well from winco or sprouts which might be a little less expensive. I’ve also started freezing the juices from the pot when I pressure cook a pot roast and defrost that to use for my bean soup which eliminates the need for any broths and adds some meat flavor without the cost of the meat. next time I make it I will try your variation
Really hearty soup recipe with a few changes. I quick soaked the beans first, drained and rinsed. Used 4 cloves of garlic instead of 2 and added half a jar of fire roasted bell peppers. Also, I used 4 cups of veggie broth and 2 cups of water for more flavor. I didn’t have any fresh parsley so used 3 tsp of dried. Using the saute setting on the IP I sauted the onions with coconut oil for about 5 minutes, added the garlic for another minute, then added carrots, celery and seasoning and sauteed for an additional 5 min. Then I added the remaining ingredients and pressure cooked for 12 minutes. Let it self release for 15 minutes and done. With 2 adults and 3 kids we enjoyed it very much with a side of cornbread. There is enough leftover for a quick lunch. Yum!
Great tasting soup, but couldn’t find nutrition break down.
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
So very good! What a wonderful recipe thank you for sharing it. I added a chopped green bell pepper it added so much flavor.
I made this – yummy! I did add a few drops of liquid smoke, but I’m sure it would still be delicious without that change.
Can I make this is a slow cooker? Would I cook it on low for 8 hours?
thanks
I would suggest doing a quick 10 minute boil on the stove top first, because some beans need to be boiled at least ten minute to avoid causing gastric distress (beans in the kidney bean family). Then I would transfer them to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and try 8 hours on low. That’s just my first guess, though. It’s definitely something that would need some testing. :)
I made in the instant pot and had soaked the beans first. I cooked for 20 minutes and tasted and thought it needed something. I added tomato paste and some sherry. It has some zing and is delicious with the additions. Plus I put some avocado in it when I served it. Another nice option.
Thank for letting us know!
Excellent. Made it as described except used olive oil instead of coconut oil. Rich flavor.
Happy to hear it!
So yummy! The bag of beans was 20 oz, so I added an extra cup of water. I sautéed the veggies in the stovetop pressure cooker, then added the water, beans and a chopped up piece of kombu and cooked under pressure for 45 minutes and did a quick release. I used both the recipe spices and the packet that came with the beans, and I added a teaspoon of Liquid Smoke with the spices and simmered 20 minutes.
Great tips and additions Kathleen. Thank you for sharing.
The brand of 15 bean mix sold around here (Hurst) actually comes in 20 ounce bags, so 1 1/4 pounds. Should I weigh out one pound from the bag, or just use the whole thing and add a bit more water? I don’t want the beans to seasonings ratio to be thrown off.
I’d suggest weighing out the 1 lb and sticking to the recipe, or you could adjust the servings up just a tad to get 1.25 pounds and the rest of the ingredients will adjust as well.
I made this in the instant pot tonight, and it was pretty good! I soaked the beans overnight. I then used the saute function first for the veggies (onions until translucent, then added the garlic for about one minute, then added the carrots and celery for about another five, and lastly the spices for about a minute). Then I added the beans and five cups water, and used the manual setting, high pressure for 20 minutes. I let the pot natural release for about 10 minutes, and then manually released the rest of the pressure, and added in the tomatoes, vinegar, and salt. I also smashed some of the beans against the side of the pot at the end to get a thicker consistency.
Since this recipe uses water instead of broth, I ended up adding a lot more salt than I usually would (maybe 2-3 teaspoons). That’s my only complaint with this dish, though, that it’s a bit bland as is. I think next time I’d make it with broth, or a mix of broth and water. Otherwise, I loved the mix of beans and veggies, and everything came out incredibly soft with the instant pot (if you want the beans and veggies a little firmer, you may want to cook for less time). This recipe also makes a ton of soup, so I’ll be able to freeze leftovers for a busy night. Thanks for another great recipe!
Thanks for the feedback and tips Courtney!
Thank you for sharing the instant pot version of this recipe and the tips. I didn’t follow the exact measurements required to make this wonderful dish. However, it turned out amazing and I love the flavours!
Made this soup yesterday- followed recipe exactly except I used a full carton of vegetable stock (4 cups) and 2 cups of water. (instaed of 6 cups of water). I think this gave the soup even more flavor. Served it with some fresh minced onions and a dollop of sour cream- and a side of corn bread- Yum! This soup is really good, and super hearty and healthy. I will definitely make this again. thanks for a great recipe!
Great work Janet! Thanks for sharing!
I just made this in an instant pot (8 minutes!) I also roasted the veggies in the oven then added them after beans were cooked and it sooo delicious! The coconut oil really makes a difference! I’ve made similar recipes and this one is my favorite.
Happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing!
I am new to instant pot how did you make this recipe?
We haven’t made it in the Instant Pot specifically. But if you look at some previous comments you can see there has been great success. “I just made this in an instant pot (8 minutes!) I also roasted the veggies in the oven then added them after beans were cooked and it sooo delicious! The coconut oil really makes a difference! I’ve made similar recipes and this one is my favorite.”
I have not cooked this yet. But I need to know, is there substitute for tomatoes in a recipe. My son has adverse reactions to them.
Thanks!
Hi Chris! You could just leave them out in this case. But I’d keep an eye on it and add maybe a 1/2 can more water just in case.
Is it possible to use vegetable broth instead of water? I have some I need to use up.
Yes! That would be delicious!
The pack of 12 bean mix I bought said it didn’t need a soak, instead of following the 1LB bag, I used the whole 900g (yikes). I followed the exact recipe but threw in a couple extra cups of water and some chicken broth. In the end, the meal turned more into a stew than a soup and it was delicious!! Looks like we’ll be eating this for the week, thanks for the recipe!!
What a happy oops!
Delicious!
Thank you!
Yum! I did not have time to soak the beans, so I used my instantpot and it turned out great! I sauteed the onion, garlic and veggies using the saute setting, added the dry beans and water, cooked for 45 mins on high- pressure/sealed, let the pressure release naturally for 10 mins, then added in the tomatoes/spices at the end. Didn’t have apple cider vinegar, but still tasted great.
Happy to hear it Erica!
Almost sweet, but lacking at first. Maybe I didn’t let it cook long enough for the flavor to really set in, as I increased the amounts by 25% without adjusting cooking time. Comes alive when you add a good helping (I put 1 tsp per 2 servings to start and add more later) of chili powder to it. A good base that is easily further expanded upon, even by amateur cooks like me.
Made this with 60 oz. of canned beans:
7.5 oz. each of northern beans, navy beans, lima beans, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, and garbanzo beans.
Delicious Elexis!
This looks fantastic! A question, though… I want to make this for a family dinner, but my mother is allergic to tomatoes. Any idea what a good (still vegetarian) substitution would be? Do you think it would work by just omitting the tomatoes entirely?
You can either just leave the tomatoes out, or maybe try puréeing some roasted red peppers? I’ve never tried the red peppers in it, that’s just an idea off the top of my head. :)
This worked out extremely well! Just finished and it was delicious. I topped mine with sour cream and a vegetarian powdered parmesan I found; I imagine it could be veganized with vegan sour cream and a good vegan ‘parmesan’ powder. I omitted the fresh parsley because we didn’t have any and also tossed in two dried chile peppers and some liquid smoke.
I’m making this for dinner so I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m going to adjust it for the crockpot so wish me luck!
Anyone try this in a crock pot?
I did and it turned out great. Just wait until the beans are soft before adding the spices and tomatoes.
Made this with canned beans. Just eyeballed amounts of other ingredients and liquid. it is delicious. Added chicken (2 tsp ) of better than bullion and left out salt. Will garnish with pesto. Not exactly your recipe but very good.
How many cans of beans did you use?
I made this twice so far, I found the second time it was better adding the salt both before and after the 90 minute simmer. It felt like the flavors developed more and I also found I didn’t have to keep adding salt later in the week. Great tasting soup and perfect for fall and winter, I love eating it with a nice crusty bread if I can.
I made this soup last weekend and I was surprised by how much flavor it has. And of course, it was even better the next day. My husband like it so much, he had it for breakfast the day after I made it.
I added a few bay leaves, a can of tomato paste, and about a dozen sliced white button mushrooms. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks. Suzanne
I made this before and it was DELICIOUS. Making it again now and can’t wait for it to be ready. Bean soup is such a simple recipe but this one is so tasty.
I made this soup. It’s very easy to make and very tasty! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi, is it possible to make this soup using a variety of tinned organic no salt added beans? how will I alter the amount of liquids to the recipe?
You would need to adjust the recipe quite a bit, both with the amount of liquid used and the cooking time. Unfortunately I would really need to do some testing to find the best method before offering any advice on how to do that.
As someone who isn’t super versed in recipes and cooking, this was pretty easy to make! (As I have been finding with all the recipes I make from this site, really.) It made a lot and I was really happy about that because it was able to feed myself and my fiance for a week! I was really happy with how well it kept in the fridge, too. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This is delicious. Thank you for putting so much time into this recipe and this site.
You really need to add a few more pop-ups and slide out videos & ads just to make it even more annoying. It’s a shame that you provide some good information and then ruin the experience with all the slide-outs! I won’t be back.
That’s unfortunate because you’ll be missing out on some fabulous recipes. This is the first website that I go to when looking for something new and delicious.
I hate to point out the obvious, but most every site has them now. Whether you go back to any one of them should depend on how much you like the awesome CONTENT they provide, not the annoyance of the ads.
I always buy the Hurst’s HamBeens brand 15 bean soup and make it according to package directions in my slow cooker (directions for the slow cooker option are on their website). You don’t have to pre-soak for the slow cooker (winning). The seasoning packet is actually vegetarian, despite the name (http://hurstbeans.com/contact-us/faq/beans-seasoning). I really like the flavor; it’s like bbq baked beans. I often add greens at the end for some more veggies. You could use up whatever veggies you have in the fridge on this recipe too (carrots, celery, peppers, etc would all go well in my opinion). Just wanted to let your vegetarian and kosher readers know that they actually can eat HamBeens!
Thank you, I was wondering about that pack!
I make a variation of this but your recipe sounds much better! Going to try your seasoning combo. With leftovers, I will put in 8×8 pan and make a box of cornbread mix to put on top. Sometimes I add shredded cheddar too. It’s so good. Kind of like tamale pie but more cornbread-y.
This is the most delicious bean soup I’ve ever had. I used my crockpot. after soaking the beans overnight, I put them in the crockpot w/ fresh water and let them cook 10 hours. When I got home, I skimmed the foam off, then I sautéed the triune, added everything else and dumped it in the with beans and then just let it cook a bit more. Super!!! (No pun intended!). And the beans held up to the long time of cooking. Just really delicious. I’m about to put another bag of beans on to soak.
I’ve been making this recipe every week since it got cold out, and I love it so much! The first time, I followed the recipe to a T and loved it. Since then, I’ve played around with the ingredients; I like adding an extra can of diced tomatoes, adding frozen peas and barley, and using red wine instead of apple cider vinegar. Oh, and using veggie broth instead of water. I love that the recipe is so versatile and helps me clear out all the veggies I have while also tasting amazing.
Made this yesterday it came out perfectly using the recipe. Just the soup and some fried cornbread yesterday and put the leftover over some rice today. Again this was great just as the recipe called for.
Wow, this recipe is so good! I was skeptical if I would like it or not because I’ve attempted to make 15 bean soup before and never had any luck finding a recipe I liked. This is a keeper!
I just made this and it was great! Followed the recipe but made some adjustments. Added ham when I added the beans, doubled the pepper and put barely pearls in the last 30min. Turned out amazing and the husband got seconds and thirds! Keeping this one handy for the cold months.
I’m making this recipe right now for my weekly meal prep and highly recommend NOT skipping the apple cider vinegar. I didn’t realize I’d run out of cayenne pepper and had to substitute crushed red pepper, which works, but it tasted like something was missing. So I added more cumin to give it more flavor, and it still tasted like something was missing. I don’t understand the chemistry behind it, but once I added the apple cider vinegar, it completely improved the taste. Amazing! New cooking tip. I would never in a million years have come up with that on my own. Thank you! Looking forward to having this as part of my dinner this week. :)
https://alongthecamelride.com/2018/11/26/meal-prep-monday-post-pig-out-fest/
Can you use the beans and combine it with some heartier veggies to make a kind of stew or soup or maybe even into a chili recipe, like a 15 bean chili? I’m not an experienced cook so i have no idea if that would work. I would love to make your recipe and add leeks and possibly canned spicy tomatoes. The spicy tomatoes gave me the idea for the aforementioned chili.
Yes, you could add any variety of vegetables to make it your own. :) Leeks I would add with the onion and garlic in the beginning, but other vegetables I would add later when I added my canned tomatoes and herbs.
Made this a few days ago, and after soaking the beans, tossed all ingredients in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high. I used broth instead of water for even more flavor. I love the overall flavor of the soup, but do find it a bit too bean-y for my liking, would definitely make again but tweak and add more veggies and less beans. Also love how inexpensive this sort of thing is, thanks for a great recipe!
This is a delicious soup and my picky daughter and husband both really liked it. In fact, I sent it to school in a thermos in my daughter’s lunch box a few days, which was great since it is sometimes hard to think of new ideas for lunch. I left out the vinegar the first time, but I’m going to make it again and I wonder if the vinegar serves a particular purpose, or is it just for taste?
It’s just for flavor. :) It just kind of brightens everything up at the end. You can also do lemon juice instead.
This sounds amazing! If I’m adding a ham hock, would I add it right at the beginning, together with the pre-soaked beans?
I would add it after soaking, so when you begin cooking in the pot. :)
Made this tonight and it is great! Used about double the spices and added a few veggie boullion cubes to the cooking liquid. At the end I put in a dash of liquid smoke as well as a bag of chopped baby kale. Served with garlic bread to rave reviews! Also enough to freeze some for a future dinner when I don’t want to cook. Thanks for sharing.
I make this a lot. But be sure to add 1 tsp of liquid smoke. It makes it taste like you had a ham Hock in it. Non vegetarians love it and always ask If ham is in it. Liquid smoke makes it!!
How do I make this in the Instant Pot? I made your beef stew last night. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!
I haven’t tried this one in the IP, so I don’t have any specific instructions, but I would use whatever setting the instruction manual suggests for dry beans.
I was wondering the same thing. Google led me to this recipe, which sounds correct! https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-15-bean-soup/
Any ideas for a substitute for the tomato? My husband cans do them.
I don’t think I would try to replace it, I would just leave it out. :)
I have a plant based diet and I make this soup about once every 2 weeks, I use vegetable broth as well. It is absolutely delicious!!
Just the best!
Best soup ever. So glad I made it. House smelled great and soup taste sooo good.
Could you use chicken broth instead of water for more flavor?
Yes, that should work fine. :) You probably won’t need to add as much salt at the end, too.
Awesome recipe!
I sautēēd the veggies in veggie broth and shaved off about 200 calories with no less flavor!
I have the soup cooking right now! Sounds so good! I didn’t use the seasoning packet in this recipe either but saved it to use in plain beans (it makes them delicious)!
Can’t wait to try the recipe. And I really like the pictures of each step. Thanks so much – will let you know how it turns out.
How many calories is in each serving?
Hi Beth. Why do you refrigerate the beans when soaking? I have never heard/seen anybody else do this.
They’re less stinky that way. :)
This is a really delicious and filling soup! I made it on Sunday and my husband and I enjoyed it all week for lunch. Leftovers heated up nicely.
I have made this several times as is now and with my own modifications too. Love it!
So delicious! This may sound weird to some, but I added some almond butter in my bowl and it was incredible! O love Asian food and when I was adding the spices, I wondered if it would blend well together and it did!
yum what a good idea!
This soup recipe is so delicious. The herbs and seasonings used are the perfect combination of flavors.
It’s great to have something fresh and healthy to fix. Thank you for this recipe. Beans and vegetables never tasted so good
Re: 15 bean soup. Can you hurry up the overnight soak?
You can probably do the “quick soak” method, although it’s not exactly quick either… just faster than overnight. :)
You can skip the soak altogether if you have a pressure cooker. They’ll probably cook in 30-40 minutes. You can then simmer the cooked beans with the veggies and seasonings.
I love doing beans in the crock pot, it lets you skip the overnight soak/soaking entirely. I add about a teaspoon of baking soda to my beans, and they’re usually done in 4-6 hours.
So the beans will get cooked as the soup cooks?
Correct. You’re essentially cooking the beans, which creates a soup.
This is an awesome recipe. Thank you for it. Everyone loved it and I felt good serving it.
So good!!! I’m not great at chopping vegetables and I don’t have a lot of patience but that didn’t even matter. This was amazing!
So good!!!I recently broke my my leg so the standing and chopping just the few ingredients wasn’t easy and I didn’t do my best but It didn’t even matter. It was perfect!
Added baby spinach & small can of Rotel. Had cooked up white button mushrooms so they got added too. Delicious & Healthy!
Hi Beth! I’ve made this twice so far and it’s fast becoming a house favorite! I’d like to try to do it in a crock pot this time around, any tips on how to do that?
I would suggest doing a quick 10 minute boil on the stove top first, because some beans need to be boiled at least ten minute to avoid causing gastric distress (beans in the kidney bean family). Then I would transfer them to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and try 8 hours on low. That’s just my first guess, though. It’s definitely something that would need some testing. :)
This might be my favorite soup. I think I like it even better that your cabbage soup which is saying a lot! I’m looking forward to making it for the third time very soon and I’ve begun making double batches. It freezes well. I’m able to get 16 bean mix at Mariano’s (Kroger). It comes without the nasty flavor packet and is cheaper than the 15 bean mix with the packet at Walmart. I use a 4 cup box of vegetable broth with 2 cups of water and I always use fire roasted tomatoes. Otherwise it’s the same and it’s SO good! Thanks for another winner!
This soup was absolutely delicious! Even my meat-loving husband devoured his portion and wanted seconds. Don’t know how you work such magic, but Budget Bytes is my go to site for easy to follow, delicious, and healthy food. Thank you for another great recipe!
What do I need to change if I want to cook it in a crockpot?
SOOOO good! My family and I devoured this! They wanted me to make it again a few days later so I did, but doubled it! I’m on Weight Watchers and it’s only 1 pt a serving when I used canola oil. (!!!!!) I doubled the spices for a single batch. I shared it in a few WW groups I’m in on FB too. Thank you, Beth!
Should I drain the brain if I’m using canned beans? Heard it can thicken soups up.
You’d need to make a lot of changes if you were going to make this with canned beans, unfortunately.
This was delicious. I was skeptical, I’m not sure why, but I’ll definitely make this again.
This soup is some kind of magic! I have one gluten free son and one vegan son and they both loved this. I served it with some gluten free/vegan cornbread. My husband said he wants it to go into our regular rotation. Thank you for sharing this!
Made the soup tonight. Was easy to make and tasted delicious. Will be making it again in the future.
Wow! This was delicious. Even after freezing and reheating, it was great! I’ll definitely make this again and I will be giving my son a link to this recipe (he’s vegan)!
I’ve been basically living off of your recipes since moving into my first apartment five years ago, and you continue to blow me away! I am a HUGE fan of soup, so saying that this is my new favorite it a big deal. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you!!
This was really good! I added a bag of fresh spinach and some cooked brown rice. Filling and delicious!
Yum!! I just made this on my work-from-home day and it was perfect! My grocery store had a 13 bean mix, which worked just as well. I did sub out water for vegetable broth so it did end up pretty rich but I might do half water next time just to make it a bit lighter. But otherwise I’m very excited to eat this all week!
I made a few small modifications for my personal preferences (and added a bunch of chopped kale!) and this soup was delicious! The funniest thing was that one of my dogs was obsessed with this soup! Every time I would heat some up, he would beg for it!
Haha! That is so cute!
This was surprisingly good! I did use broth instead of water, upped the spices a bit, and used dried parsley instead of fresh because my grocery store was out. I think I actually preferred the dried though. I was hesitant about including the cumin because it has a very strong and specific flavor to me that I associate with certain foods and I wasn’t sure if it would be a good fit here. However, the combination of spices was absolutely perfect.
This does look delish. But, holy moley, beans, y’all, beans. I love beans in all their many forms, but let’s just say that my daughter does not appreciate me eating them.
I know you love the Instant Pot…..how can we do this in the Instant Pot?? I love beans from the Instant Pot
Unfortunately, I’d need to test it in the IP before offering specific instructions. I do like my IP, but I don’t use it enough to be able to guess at this point. :)
I just made this in my Instant Pot tonight! I sauteed the veggies and then added the beans, water, and spices and cooked it for 45 minutes on high pressure. I added the tomatoes when it was done and brought it back up to a simmer. If I had had more time I would have simmered for longer so the flavors could have blended a bit more. I didn’t use the parsley, but if I had I would have added it with the tomatoes. Worked perfectly! I skipped the soaking as well.
Beth, in Step 5, when we simmer for 90 minutes, should the lid be on the pot, off the pot, or cracked just a little? Thanks!
On the pot. :)
Do you think that heirloom bean mix would work ok in this recipe? :-)
I’ve never seen an heirloom bean mix, so I’m not sure.
I haven’t tried this yet but want to. However I don’t want to soak the beans. So I’d like to know how many cups of beans you get out of the mixture so I can just open cans.
It’s probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 15oz. cans. Just keep in mind that it won’t turn out quite the same with canned beans, and you won’t need all 6 cups of water, since the canned beans are already cooked.
I made this on a snowy day at home and served it with fresh corn bread on the side. The whole family enjoyed it. Delicious!
Did this in the instant pot. Sautee veggies, beans and water in (8 cups since no pre-soak). Added one spoonful of better than boullion veg. 45 min on high pressure, 40 min slow release, then quick released the rest. Came out excellent.
I have been making your recipes for years, and every one is a hit. But this is the first I felt absolutely compelled to comment about. I literally said “mmm” out loud with every spoonful. Utter perfection! Bravo, and thank you so much! I can’t wait to eat this again tomorrow for lunch :)
Wonder what Rotel tomatoes would do to that loveliness… (rubbing chin)
Ooooh, I like that idea!
anytime a recipe calls for diced tomamos I use rotel . . . i love it!
Do you think this would be fine in a pressure cooker? It might avoid some of the problems of the slow cooker with the cannelini beans.
I made it in the pressure cooker and it is awesome! Sautéed the veggies in the pot, added beans and water and cooked 20 minutes. Added the tomatoes and spices and pressure cooked for two more minutes. Came out perfectly!
When you used our pressure cooker, did you still soak the beans?
I think that would work.
Its so pretty!
Is that weird to say about a soup?
Can’t wait to try it!
I’ve got this on the cooker right now. They don’t sell 15 bean mixes here so I made my own and it’s more like eight kinds of bean. I also replaced half the water with vegetable broth because I had some I needed to use up, but otherwise I followed the recipe as written. Can’t wait to try it!
This!
This!
This!
This!
This is some awesome soup! Notice that it’s after 11pm; as soon as this recipe hit my email account today I was like, “I’m making this tonight; I don’t care how long it takes and how late I stay up.”
#WorthIt
Now, in the interest of full disclosure: I didn’t exactly follow the recipe. I wanted to avoid all oils (right now, I’m trying to make things that are zero Weight Watchers points), so I sautéed everything in water. Obviously, I used no cheese, then, either. And I forgot to grab any fresh parsley when I was at the store buying beans today, so I tossed in some dried stuff, instead (how much should I have used, anyway?).
You’re right about the salt; about 1 and one-half tsp was perfect. :)
But then I was like, huh, what would happen if I added… –> you know how that goes. So I started adding tiny amounts of stuff to my tasting bowls. One variation I really was just the tiniest amount of Goya Ham Flavored Seasoning added (which has milk so it’s not vegan). It offered this pop of smoky-ness that was fantastic. So, I turned to my liquid smoke and added just a tiny bit of it. Huzzah! Good stuff! So as an alternative, I think ham base is nice in it, and I think just a bit of liquid smoke is nice in it, too.
This is all to say – your recipe rocks. (I feel like the seasonings are really close to your Chunky Lentil and Vegetable Soup recipe, which I ~literally~ make more than once a month because it’s phenomenal.) And, I like that I can play with it and add stuff and be creative and it’s still awesome.
Thank you so much!!!
Love it! Thanks for sharing your experiments! :)
This may be the same issue as with the slow cooker, but could this be made with a multi cooker using the “Soup” setting? I have a Fagor, but it is very similar to the Instant Pot and you were my impetus for not fearing the pressure cooker. (Though my husband opened it on the maiden voyage ;)
Hmm, I think the “bean” setting might be better for this one. I don’t think the soup setting is assuming dried beans are in the mix. Hopefully yours has a bean setting!
Would you happen to have the nutrional information for this soup handy?
Beth,
Thank you. This looks great.
My question is why is it necessary to refrigerate the beans while they soak?
Thanks,
Ann
To prevent bacterial growth. Even though the beans will be cooked later, as bacteria grow they release toxins that aren’t killed or broken down by the cooking process. It’s just an extra safety precaution. :)
WHen did you add the recipe calculator to your recipes? I love that! I do sometime cook for large groups of people and it’s nice to have a calculator to do the appropriate math.
I intend to make this soup over the weekend, full meat version. Thank you for your many, many recipes I’ve downloaded.
Thanks! We switched to a new plugin to display the recipes last summer/fall. :)
Since I’ve become obsessed with my Instant Pot since I got it, do you think this would be easily converted to the IP?
This looks great! Would a pressure cooker be useful for speeding up the bean cooking?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work well.
I have been craving vegetarian soup lately but been bored of my go-to’s, so this is perfect! They don’t sell 15 or any dry bean mixes here in Norway, but they do sell a canned version of 4 beans, so I think I’ll convert this recipie to accomidate canned beans instead. I’ll probably also puree a bit to make it thicken since canned beans don’t thicken as dry does.
Yum, yum! Thanks for the idea, Beth!
Where would I find the 15 bean soup mix?
Check the soup/bean aisle at the market. That’s where I typically see it. Now I have a use for them (other than using the seasoning packet).
My mom will love this (she is a senior and cook lots of meals for her). She loved the black-eyed peas & greens recipe.
At my Kroger store, I found the 15 bean soup mix (on sale) in the rice/bean section.
I have been making this soup for at least 10 years when my mother-in-law’s Doctor suggested it for her health. Yummy is how i’d describe and everytime i make this soup i’m reminded of my late mother-in-law.
Yum! I am thinking I will add bay leaf, sub veggie broth, and mix in a stiff green like kale or collard greens in the last 15 minutes. Served with homemade cornbread, this is my ideal food! :)
that sounds delicious!
How would this fare in a slow cooker?
Asking the important questions! Slow Cooker Black Bean soup and the slow cooker jambalaya are my favorite budget byte recipes
I think I would avoid a slow cooker for this one simply because some beans (kidney, cannellini, and any in that family) shouldn’t be cooked in a slow cooker. They contain a natural substance that is toxic and has to be boiled heavily to break it down. Slow cookers don’t get the beans boiling enough to accomplish this.
The soup looks absolutely amazing. Is it possible that I can use half vegetable broth and water for flavor? I apologize for asking a stupid question. Thanks, Beth!! :-)
That’s not a stupid question. :) Yes, you can substitute vegetable broth for the water. It will be even more flavorful that way and you’ll probably need less salt at the end.
15 beans? I have never heard of such a soup mix. I love the photos. The soup looks so good. The soup looks like it would taste better over time. If I try this recipe I will need a bigger pot because it is time consuming I would like the deliciousness to last. LOL.