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Butter Bean Soup Overhead with Ingredients

Smoky Butter Bean Soup with Tomato and Spinach

The Pesky Vegan
Ready in under 30 minutes, this vegan butter bean soup combines creamy beans with veg and smoky flavours for a dish that's low-fat, high-protein, and gluten-free.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 4
Calories 237 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, scrubbed and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika (plus more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin tomatoes
  • 2x 14 oz (400 g) tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups (1 litre) vegan stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 3 oz (100 g) fresh spinach (approx. 3 cups)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Small handful fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the onion and carrot. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring now and then until the veg has started to soften.
  • Once the veg starts to soften, add the chopped garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • After a couple of minutes, add the tomato puree, smoked paprika, thyme, and sage. Stir well and cook for another minute.
  • Next, add the tinned tomatoes, drained butter beans, vegan stock, bay leaves, and nutritional yeast. If using tinned whole tomatoes, break these apart with a spoon. Add a little water to the empty tomato can and swirl around before adding to the pan. Mix well, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook on a low heat for 6-8 minutes.
  • After 6-8 minutes, add the spinach. If using fresh parsley, you can chop some of the stems and add them to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted down.
  • Taste the soup and adjust the flavours if necessary. You may want to add a little more smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, or pepper.
  • Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and blitz using a hand blender. Do this until you have the desired consistency. You could also transfer to a larger, more powerful blender, or simply mash using a potato masher for a chunkier texture.
  • Adjust the seasoning again and serve with chopped fresh parsley (see serving suggestions above for more ideas).
    📸 Recipe steps >
    📖 Table of contents >

Notes

Frozen spinach: If using frozen spinach, add this at the same time as the beans and tomatoes to ensure it's thoroughly defrosted and cooked.
Other greens: If you don't have spinach, you could substitute this with other greens such as kale or cabbage.
Other veg: Feel free to add any other veg you like – celery, leeks, peppers etc. would all be great additions. If you want to add potato, cut this into small cubes and cook the soup until these are tender. If necessary, add a little extra stock.
Quantity: This recipe should provide around four servings, but you could always make it stretch further with more beans, veg, and stock (and a touch more of each seasoning).
Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock that is certified or labelled as such. You'll want to make sure that any additional toppings or sides are also gluten-free.
Storage: Store this soup in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to six months.
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* The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of four servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 237kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 13gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 887mgPotassium: 1018mgFiber: 13gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 8079IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 5mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Smoky Butter Bean Soup with Tomato and Spinach
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 237 Calories from Fat 45
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 5g8%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Sodium 887mg39%
    Potassium 1018mg29%
    Carbohydrates 40g13%
    Fiber 13g54%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 13g26%
    Vitamin A 8079IU162%
    Vitamin C 25mg30%
    Calcium 112mg11%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword butter bean recipe, healthy vegan soup, lima bean soup
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