The weather forecast at the beginning of the week left me no choice but to declare it’s going to be soup week. I am a huge fan of soups, and can eat soups every day, all day. In a week like this I can easily make 4 XL pots of soup. When the weather outside is as stormy as it is now, and the desire to curl up appears, I automatically think what can be brewed into a pot of comforting soup.
This potato and white bean soup sat in my mind for a while. I wanted some kind of a creamy and light shaded soup but with earthy, non-dairy flavors. The best thing about soups is that you can put all kinds of ingredients in one pot and mix them so that you get exactly the balance of flavors you feel like at that moment.
So I thought and imagined it in my head, and perfected it on the stove and it turned out to be one of the best soups I had in a while. Vegan potato and white bean soup, cooked with rosemary, garlic, hot chili flakes and olive oil. I Finished the soup with a little finely chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Amazing how so few ingredients can produce such a depth of flavors.
One extra note about cooking time. The cooking time is mainly determined by the white bean cooking time. The first rule is not to add any salt while cooking the beans – only at the end. The other element is the freshness of the dried beans (how old they are). The older the beans are – the longer it will take for them to soften. The last thing has to be the soaking time. The longer you’ll soak the beans – the faster it’ll be cooked. Therefore, always buy beans from a place you trust, don’t shorten the soaking time, and don’t add salt until the beans are soft.
Looking to be inspire with more delicious soups?
- White corn and miso soup with chili oil
- Green lentil and mushroom soup
- Red lentil and butternut squash soup with spicy coriander pesto
Vegan Potato and white bean soup
Ingredients:
- 2 cups white bean, soaked in water for at least 8 hours – that is 1 cup of dried beans before soaking
- 2 large potatoes or 4 medium potatoes, coarsely sliced into medium-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 spring of rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (not chopped nor crushed)
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups water, plus more if needed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
- Soak the beans for at least 8 hours. Make sure to replace the soaking water at least once during this time
- Wash the beans, drain it and place it in a large pot. Add olive oil, rosemary, sliced garlic, hot chili flakes, black pepper and water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat, with the pot partially covered, for 45 minutes until the beans begin to soften. Make sure not to add salt at this time, as salt will delay the softening of the beans. See also notes regarding bean cooking times.
- Add coarsely sliced potatoes to the pot and cook for another 40 minutes, until the beans and potatoes are very soft. If necessary – add more water while cooking.
- Remove the rosemary branch (s), which have shed their leaves. Add salt, stir and cook together for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add finely chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice. Mix well, taste and adjust flavors if necessary. Serve hot of course.
Notes:
- Bean cooking time depends on a number of ingredients and can vary. The fresher the dried beans, that is – the less time spent in the store – the shorter the cooking time. Also, the longer the soaking time of the beans – the shorter the cooking time. In any case, do not add salt while cooking the beans, and this is true for almost all types of legumes, but only at the end.
- Frozen white beans – can be used, although the cooking time will be significantly shortened and with it the flavors that will develop. If you use frozen beans then you should cook it together with the potatoes from the beginning for a time of about 45 minutes. In any case, add salt only at the end of cooking.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
comment below or share it on instagram and tag #thehappylentils
Yummy and easy to make, but the potatoes ended up very bland.