Velvety Spinach and White Bean Soup (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
This soup is a comforting bowl of goodness for when you’re feeling a little bit run-down or tired. Iron-rich spinach and protein-packed cannellini beans combine with the probiotics and umami taste from the miso to make a rich, creamy and intensely satisfying healthy vegan soup that will perk you up in no time.
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?).