Beans, beans, and more beans. That’s what I have in my cupboards.
I like to buy different types of beans because they are so cool! I mean what’s not to like about beans? They are packed with protein, nutrients, and flavor. Beans are beautiful and inspirational.
In fact, they were the inspiration for this photo I took at the Plated Stories Workshop this past May.
Beans also store really well which is a good thing. Since I have so many, I would hate to see them go to waste.
The main problem I have with beans and legumes is that I’m not very good at finding creative uses for them. So they just sit in their jars in my pantry. Although they are fun to look at, that’s not very practical.
Then I heard about The Great Vegan Bean Book by Kathy Hester, and I knew my problem was solved. This book is chock full of unique ideas for cooking with beans.
There are over 100 plant-based dishes in this book. Where appropriate, the book presents soy-free, gluten-free and oil-free options for each recipe.
I’m looking forward to trying the Triple Lentil Soup with Wheat Berries, Enchanted Vanilla Pancakes with Chai-Spiced Peach Compote, Weekend Vanilla Belgian Waffles, Cream of the Crop Garden Soup, Tomato Rosemary White Beans, Sun-Dried Tomato White Bean Wheat Balls, Baked Beany Mac and Cheezy, and more.
With so many options, I had a hard time deciding where to start. I finally chose a creamy tomato soup because my tomatoes were ripening, and I figured this would be a good way to use them up. I couldn’t believe this soup was made with beans. What a great idea!
This heartier tomato soup is really easy to make. I already had all of the ingredients on hand because, remember, I have all those beans in my cupboard.
Seriously, this soup is simple and it’s made with ingredients you should already have, but if you don’t keep tons of beans in your pantry, just pick up a can of white beans or a bag of dried white beans.
I used dried beans and soaked them the night before, then cooked them and made the soup the next day. After the soup had cooled, I placed it in the refrigerator to have for lunch the next day.
I knew the consistency of this soup was going to be different than the creamy tomato soup I’m used to, but I wasn’t sure how the beans would affect the flavor.
When it was time to test it, I put aside any preconceived notions about what it should taste like. I warmed it up, poured it in a bowl and put some crackers in it like I would with other tomato soups. I also added some cracked black pepper.
Although the texture was a bit different, the soup was soothing and enjoyable. The acidic taste from the tomatoes was muted by the beans, but they didn’t overpower the flavor.
This soup would go really well with a grilled cheese sandwich. I’ll have to try that next time. Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich is one of my ultimate comfort foods.
You know, now that I’ve found so many uses for beans, I need to buy some more. I don’t want to run out; not with all of these unique recipes to try.
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Creamy Tomato Soup with Beans
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Adding beans to the traditional tomato soup gives it a lot of body and an infusion of protein. If you have to hide beans from your children, this is the place to start. Make them a grilled vegan cheese sandwich to dip into their soup and they won’t even suspect what’s in it.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
- 2 cups (475 ml) unsweetened nondairy milk
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces, or 410 g) diced tomatoes or 3 cups (540 g) chopped fresh
- 1 1/2 cups (269 g) cooked white beans or 1 can (15 ounces, or 425 g), rinsed and drained
- Salt and pepper, to tastes
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan, then add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and then cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Add the cooked onion mixture, nondairy milk, tomatoes, and beans to a blender and blend until smooth. (Or you can put everything into the saucepan and use an immersion blender.)
- Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking, then pour back into the pot and heat thoroughly for about 15 to 20 minutes over medium-low heat.
- It is not quite as smooth as regular tomato soup. To get a silkier consistency, you can either blend it in a high-speed blender or strain it through a mesh strainer.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe reprinted with permission from The Great Vegan Bean Book by Kathy Hester
Total cooking time: 25 minutes (when you start with cooked or canned beans)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Soup
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Details At a Glance:
Title: The Great Vegan Bean Book
Publisher: Fair Winds Press
Release Date: 2013
About the Author:
Kathy Hester, author of the bestselling cookbook The Vegan Slow Cooker, loves to show people how easy it is to cook.
She is the founder of www.healthyslowcooking.com and the vegan blogger for Key Ingredient. She also writes for Chickpea Vegan Quarterly and teaches vegan cooking classes.
She has more slow cookers than one person should own, plus enough beans in the pantry to last at least a year, too. She resides in Durham, North Carolina, with a grown-up picky eater in a quirky 1970s modernist house. Her new house is big enough for the cats and the dog to finally all get along, and now they all hang out on the deck together while she writes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Fair Winds Press for this review. I thank them for this opportunity. Now I will not lack for ideas for working with beans.
All of her cookbooks are great. I like that you can use meat if you want, or even gluten positive if you prefer.
This recipe sounds so good. I must check to see if I have the tomatoes!