This healthy vegan and gluten-free spinach and bean soup is rich, velvety smooth and intensely satisfying. It's a one-pot meal filled with iron-rich spinach, protein-packed cannellini beans and probiotics from the miso paste. Easy and quick, it's also made with standard store-cupboard and freezer ingredients so it's perfect as a last-minute supper option!
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Who needs packet convenience food when you can make something this nutritious and delicious in about the same time using ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard and fridge? Sounds too good to be true? I know!
This vegan spinach and cannellini bean soup recipe is what you need when you're tired and hungry, can't see anything in the fridge and you need something quick and easy. If you always keep some spinach in the freezer, tinned beans in the cupboard, and sweet miso in the fridge, you will always be able to make this soup any time! (Well, you need onion and garlic too but if you're anything like me, they are both pantry staples that I never let myself run out of).
When I’m tired and worn down, I just want a big comforting bowl of soup but this craving usually only kicks in at exactly the time when I don’t have the energy or, frankly, the inclination, to cook. When we lived in the UK, we were spoilt with a wide selection of pretty decent fresh soups at the supermarket, so I always had some in the fridge for when I was too tired to cook. Now in Qatar, missing that convenience, I wanted to develop a “go-to recipe” for a soup that is as quick and easy as opening a packet and provides a good dose of nutrition and flavour too.
Nutrition
- Spinach is a wonderful plant-based source of iron. It's also super convenient as you can buy bags of baby spinach to keep in the fridge and, even more conveniently, frozen spinach to keep in the freezer.
- The beans make this soup thick and creamy but they also provide plant-based protein to make this soup a one-pot complete meal.
- A touch of miso adds a background richness and umami flavour as well as some probiotics to aid digestion.
- The lemon juice adds a zingy freshness to the dish and more vitamin C to help your body to absorb the iron.
Main Ingredients
- Basics - onion, garlic and olive oil - these are my basics for literally ANY meal!
- Spinach - I like to use baby spinach for this soup as it gives such a lovely vibrant green colour. It cooks really quickly so you literally just stir it in at the end of cooking and then whizz up the soup. However, you can also use frozen spinach if that's why you have to hand. If using frozen spinach, add it a little earlier as it will need to cook for 5 minutes or so.
- White Beans (cooked) - I usually use cannellini beans to make this soup. They are lovely and creamy with a mild flavour so they add this velvety softness without making the soup taste too "beany". That said, you could use any other white beans, like navy beans, butter beans, or haricot beans. Tinned beans are fine or you could also use cooked dried beans.
- Vegetable Stock - homemade vegetable stock would be wonderful but don't worry if you don't have any, just use a good vegetable stock powder like Kallo or Marigold Bouillon.
- Miso Paste - I like to use sweet white miso paste which is mellow and smooth flavoured. If you use any other type of miso you may need to use a smaller amount because some are much stronger flavours. (If you are coeliac, be sure to choose gluten-free miso paste as some are based on barley which is not gluten-free).
- Lemon Juice - a squeeze of lemon added to the bowl at the end adds vibrancy to the flavour but also adds a dose of vitamin C which will help your body to absorb the iron from the spinach. Win win!
Please see the recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
Basic Instructions
It doesn't get much simpler than this really!
- Gently sauté the onion and garlic for 5 mins.
- Add beans and stock (and frozen spinach if using) and simmer for 10 mins.
- Add miso and fresh spinach (if using fresh) and let the spinach wilt for a minute or two.
- Blend and serve with a squeeze of lemon!
This is a summary only. Please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page for full detailed instructions. Thermomix instructions are also included in the recipe card.
Chef's Tips
- Add the miso at the last minute to try to keep the probiotic goodness which is destroyed by boiling.
- Likewise, the fresh spinach is added at the end to keep the nutrients in tact and to keep its beautiful vibrant green colour. If you use frozen spinach, you should add it with the stock and beans to ensure that it defrosts while cooking. The colour will not be as vibrant as the fresh spinach version but it will still taste delicious!
Variations
- Substitute the beans for any others you might have in the house. I have also made this with chickpeas instead of the beans which worked well too. They all provide protein and creaminess.
- If you have children that don’t like soup, this can also be used as a pasta sauce or drizzled over roasted cauliflower (if they’ll eat that?).
- Spice it up with a dollop of zhoug on serving.
Vegan Creamy Spinach and White Bean Soup FAQs
Yes, it is very easy to make this soup in the thermomix! I have included a set of thermomix instructions in the recipe card below.
Keep this soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and warm gently in a pan for a few minutes to re-heat. Alternatively, store in the freezer for up to 6 months. It's always great to find ready-made soup in the freezer for times when you can't be bothered to cook!
Serve with some delicious vegan and gluten-free bread slathered with vegan butter or made into croutons by cutting a slice of bread into small cubes, mixing with a little oil, salt and pepper and garlic powder, and air frying for 3-5 minutes until browned.
📖 Recipe 📖
Velvety Spinach and White Bean Soup (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion , diced (or 80g frozen diced onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 150 g cannellini beans (or white beans), (tinned or cooked dried beans)
- 500 g vegetable stock
- 120 g fresh baby spinach , (or about 25% more if using frozen spinach)
- 30 g white miso paste
- salt and pepper, to taste
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Fry the onion in the oil over a low heat for 5 minutes until softened a little.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion
- Add the garlic and stir over the heat for another 1 minute.2 garlic cloves
- Add the stock and cannellini beans (and if using frozen spinach, you should add it now too). Bring to the boil then immediately lower the heat to low, put the lid on and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.150 g cannellini beans (or white beans), 500 g vegetable stock
- Stir in the miso and fresh spinach (if using) briefly until the spinach wilts and then blend the soup until smooth (either use a stick blender in the pan (but be very careful not to burn yourself!) or transfer the soup to a blender).120 g fresh baby spinach, 30 g white miso paste
- Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon on top and a drizzle of olive oil.salt and pepper, lemon wedges
Thermomix Instructions
- Pour the oil into the TM jug and add the onion and garlic. Set the TM to 3 secs. / sp. 5. Then scrape down the sides with a spatula and set the TM to 7 mins. / 120°C / sp. 1 (MC off).1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the vegetable stock and cooked white beans (and if using frozen spinach, you should add it now too). Stir with a spatula to ensure nothing is stuck on the bottom, then set the TM to 10 mins. / 100°C / sp. 2. (Take the MC off once it comes up to temperature).500 g vegetable stock, 150 g cannellini beans (or white beans)
- Add the miso and fresh spinach (if using) and set the TM to 20 secs. / sp. 5. Then set the TM to 1 min / sp. 10. (make sure the MC is ON!).120 g fresh baby spinach, 30 g white miso paste
- Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon on top and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- I add the miso at the last minute to try to keep the probiotic goodness which is destroyed by boiling. Likewise, the fresh spinach is added at the end to keep the nutrients in tact and to keep its beautiful vibrant green colour.
- If you use frozen spinach, you should add it with the stock and beans to ensure that it defrosts while cooking. The colour will not be as vibrant as the fresh spinach version but it will still taste delicious!
- Feel free to substitute the beans for any others you might have in the house. I have also made this with chickpeas instead of the beans which worked well too.
- The lemon on serving adds a zingy freshness to the dish and more vitamin C to help your body to absorb the iron.
- If you have children that don’t like soup, this can also be used as a pasta sauce or drizzled over roasted cauliflower (if they’ll eat that?).
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ on the recipe card!
More Recipes
If you like this creamy vegan spinach and white bean soup recipe, you may like these other delicious vegan and gluten-free soup recipes too:
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