Three Bean Soup

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A nourishing bowl of Three Bean Soup is perfect comfort food. Quick and easy to prepare, and made from pantry staples, this soup is great for meal prep or to have as a standby dinner.

Soup season is all year long as far as I’m concerned. As a busy mum, I find soup such a convenient meal. I can prep a big batch which will feed me well for a few days at a time. And if I get bored its easy to switch up the sides or toppings to make it feel like a different meal.

Soup is so easy to transport too, either hot or cold, so I know I have an easy meal handy if I’m out and about all day.

Canned Bean Soup

The three types of bean I use in this easy soup are kidney beans, chickpeas/garbanzo beans and haricot beans (also known as Navy or Boston Beans.) These happen to be 3 of the 9 Best Beans You Can Eat, meaning this soup is packed with health benefits, most notably:

• Beans are a great source of fibre and vegetarian protein.
• Kidney Beans are high in folate – especially great if you are pregnant or trying to concieve.
• Navy beans are a good source of minerals and B Vitamins.
• Chickpeas are iron rich and contain vitamin C which can aid absorption.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients including quantities is in the recipe card below, but here are some helpful notes on the main ingredients. This brothy bean soup is made from staple ingredients stocked in most kitchens.

Three Beans – We have kidney beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and Navy beans (haricot beans). I use canned beans for ease.

Onion, Carrot and Celery – an aromatic soffritto base for the soup, aka the ‘holy trinity’ of Italian cooking. I like to keep these chunky, but you can finely dice if you prefer.

Garlic, Oregano and Bay Leaf – More aromatics for extra flavour.

Red Wine Vinegar – a splash of vinegar helps brighten and enhance the tomato based broth. You can substitute white vinegar or lemon juice.

Canned Tomatoes – I use chopped tomatoes for ease, but you can also use whole peeled plum tomatoes and crush them for a more rustic broth.

Stock – the base of the soup. Use chicken or vegetable stock depending on the dietary requirements of whoever is eating the soup. I use two stock cubes with one litre of boiled water. Use homemade stock if you have it, or 2 teaspoons bouillon powder.

Variations and Substitutions

Switch up the beans if you like – swap any of them for pretty much any type of bean like black beans, pinto beans, any other white bean.

Use Dried Beans Instead. To prep them, rinse well in cold water first. Add to a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt then bring to the boil and bubble for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to soak for a minimum of 1 hour, maximum 12 hours. Drain and rinse before using as per the recipe.

Add some potato – cubes of white or sweet potato are excellent in this soup, especially if you want a heartier meal. You can add them at the same time as the onion, celery and carrot.

Add cooked rice or pasta – simply stir in to the warm soup to serve. I love to add some elbow macaroni to my brothy bean soup.

Add extra veggies – or do a swap. Leeks make a good swap for onions, or you can change the carrot for diced red pepper. Try adding a cup of peas, green beans or sweetcorn.

Stir in some greens – stir in kale or spinach to hot soup just before serving.

Make Three Bean Soup Extra Creamy but removing a couple of cups of cooked soup with beans to a blender and blending until smooth. Stir back into the soup to make the broth rich and creamy without having to add any actual cream.

Add extra protein – stir through some shredded cooked chicken or turkey, cooked ham or crispy bacon to the soup.

Serving Three Bean Soup

As with most soups, the best side for Three Bean Soup is crusty bread with a nice slather of butter in my opinion. Or try some cheese and tomato or chive scones. A nice green salad works well as a lighter side.

Crunchy croutons are very welcome. Use bread past its best to make croutons – just lightly season with salt, pepper and dried garlic or herbs, toss with a little oil and bake in the oven or air fryer till crisp. Or try some crispy chickpeas or toasted seeds.

I love to sprinkle some grated cheese on top of my bean soup. Parmesan or pecorino are my preference. Make sure to choose a vegetarian or vegan cheese depending on your diet.

Try a drizzle of pesto or flavoured oil to add some pizazz to your soup. Or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a bit of spice.

Storing

You can store bean soup in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Three Bean Soup Freezes well in an airtight container for three months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat soup on the hob until piping hot for best results.

More Soup Recipes You Will Love:

• Leek and Kale Soup with White Beans
• Roasted Pepper and Gouda Soup
• Chicken Minestrone
• Scottish Red Lentil Soup
• Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Harissa
• Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup