This creamy vegan white bean soup is a healthy and cozy soup made with dry great northern beans. No presoaking required! Just add a few pantry staples to your Instant Pot and get excited for a comforting stew.
Cozy up and grab a bowl of this creamy vegan white bean soup because it's officially soup season!
What makes it officially soup season, you ask?
Well, the average daily high is now less than 85 here in still-humid Georgia, which means there's a chill in the air in the morning and you can walk outside without immediately sweating. And so soup season rushes in!
I started my new full time job this week, and what a week it's been. Between training, driving and working, I was not in any shape to prep for lunch this week.
Thankfully I made this vegan white bean soup on Sunday and had enough leftovers to enjoy it for lunch through the week.
This soup is perfect for meal prep! You can even freeze it for later.
Ingredients and substitutions
This vegan white bean soup is full of low-fat, plant based protein and fiber from great northern beans. Just one cup of cooked great northern beans provides 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber - that's half the daily recommend intake of fiber!
White beans: Dry great northern beans are a smaller white bean. Navy beans can also be used because they take a similar length of time to cook. Both beans soften well and make a delicious stew!
Soy milk: Unsweetened, unflavored soy milk is my go-to in soups but you can also use coconut milk beverage (I haven't tested with canned coconut milk) or almond milk.
Mirepoix: This mixture of carrots, onion and celery makes the base of the soup. Add in garlic for extra flavor.
Vegetable broth: I usually use a reduced sodium vegetable broth so that I have more control over saltiness. Regular broth also works.
Spices and herbs: I use dried rosemary and thyme but fresh can also be used. One tablespoon fresh chopped herbs is equivalent to one teaspoon dry herb. Cayenne pepper is optional but I love it for a little kick of spice!
Nutritional yeast: I like to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to creamy vegan soups because it adds a cheesey flavor and contributes to the creamy factor. This can be omitted if you don't have it on hand.
Step by step instructions
You can make this warming Instant Pot soup in just about an hour, most of which is hands-free.
- Start by sauteing onion, celery, and garlic in a bit of olive oil until aromatic and browned.
- Add in the spices, broth, non-dairy milk, rinsed white beans, and a dash more of oil.
- Give the soup a stir then lock on the lid and set the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally, which will take about 20 minutes.
- Give the soup a stir. Taste for salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Recipes notes and tips
- If the beans aren't as tender as you'd like you can reseal the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 more minutes (it will come to pressure quickly since it's already hot). Make sure to set the pressure valve back to sealing. Also note that older beans take longer to cook. Older beans are more likely to look wrinkly/shriveled, but otherwise you can't really tell until you cook them.
- For a thicker soup, blend 1-2 cups of the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. This makes it extra creamy!
- I also recommend blending 1-2 cups of the soup because the high pressure sometimes causes a layer to form on top of the soup.
- This meal can be portioned into large or individual containers and frozen for up to 3 months. These are the containers I use. It will need to thaw in the fridge for up to 24 hours before enjoying.
Looking for more cozy vegetarian soup recipes?
You might like my stove-top white bean soup or mushroom barley soup.
- Hearty Lentil and Quinoa Soup
- Chipotle Vegan Black Bean Soup (Instant Pot recipe!)
- Vegan Chipotle Corn Chowder
- Light and Easy Vegetarian Chili
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Top with chives, fresh black pepper, and a few crunchy crackers. Enjoy!
All of my Instant Pot recipes are made in a 6 qt DUO60 Instant Pot. Check out more of my Instant Pot recipes.
Creamy Vegan White Bean Soup
This healthy and warming vegan soup is made in an electric pressure cooker using dry great northern beans.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (2 cups) great northern beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups unsweetened soy milk (see note)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional but great!)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse great northern beans and remove any debris or shriveled beans.
- Add the oil to your Instant Pot. Press the "saute" function and adjust to "normal". Saute the onion, celery, and carrots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
- Add the beans, seasonings, soy milk, and vegetable broth. Give the soup a stir to combine. Add extra teaspoon of oil (this prevents the beans from foaming and clogging the steam release valve).
- Lock the lid into place and set the pressure valve to "sealing". Press the "pressure cook" button; adjust to "high pressure". Set the cook time for 35 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Allow pressure to release naturally. This will take about 20 minutes; the pressure is fully released when the silver float valve floats down.
- Remove the lid carefully and give the soup a stir. Taste for salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- One teaspoon dry herbs can be replaced with one tablespoon fresh herbs.
- If the beans aren't as tender as you'd like you can reseal the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 more minutes (it will come to pressure quickly since it's already hot). Make sure to set the pressure valve back to sealing. Also note that older beans = longer cooking time (older beans are more likely to look wrinkly/shriveled, but otherwise you can't really tell until you cook them).
- I use unsweetened soy milk to make this soup, as it's one of the more "creamy" non-dairy milks. You can try out unsweetened cashew milk or unsweetened oat milk if you're soy-free, though I haven't tried them myself.
- For a thicker soup, blend ⅓ of the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. This makes it extra creamy!
- This meal can be portioned into large or individual containers and frozen for up to 3 months. These are the containers I use. It will need to thaw in the fridge for up to 24 hours before enjoying.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 servingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 202Sodium: 752mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 11g
Marcia
Could you substitute canned beans?
Cassidy Reeser
Canned beans won’t work because there is extra liquid and cook time added for the dry beans.
Ginny B
I prefer to soak the beans before cooking. How could I adjust this recipe for soaked beans? Thanks. Recipe looks really terrific.
Cassidy Reeser
I haven’t tested this out myself but I think if you soak the beans overnight you should be able to cook on high pressure for just 10 minutes. All other steps will be the same. Enjoy!
Brittany
So I don't think I've used any recipes from your blog before, but I found this recipe on pinterest when searching for white bean soup. I am SO glad to have found this recipe because this soup is easily the best soup I've ever made. It's super easy, and the limited seasoning/spices ingredient list does not make for a bland soup (which I usually find to be the case).
For others, these are the changes I made (because I wanted to use what I already had):
navy beans subbed for great northern
Almond milk subbed for soy
1 tsp. dried rosemary subbed for fresh
1 tsp. dried basil
a little white pepper (I haven't used this much so I'm not sure how it differs from black pepper in this soup)
added a handful of leftover spinach at the end
I definitely suggest blending some of the soup (I did maybe 2 cups) and add it back to make it creamier
I also topped the soup with [vegan] sour cream and green onions for serving
This soup is SO GOOD. I'm definitely keeping this soup in my regular rotation.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
That means a lot, thank you! 🙂
Sue
I am having problems with the beans not softening enough. I keep increasing the pressure cooking time but it’s been problematic.
Cassidy Reeser
Hi Sue, it could just be that the beans you're using need a lot of time. I've never had to go about 35 minutes for white beans or chickpeas, but it won't hurt to just add more time until the beans are fully cooked. Another option if you want to try making this again is to soak the beans overnight or for ~8 hours before pressure cooking. They will definitely be soft after 35 minutes this way.
David
Hi Sue,
Make sure you do not add salt to the beans before cooking, it causes the skins to harden. Add it at the end.
Lexi
What is the serving size?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
I haven't measured the soup volume exactly but I believe it would be about 1.5 cups per serving.
Keren
Trying with almond milk.
Has anyone made it with almond milk?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
I haven't tried with almond milk but think it should work. Let us know how it goes!
Brittany
I used almond milk, and this is hands-down the best soup I've ever made. I suggest blending 1-2 cups of the soup then add it back into the pot for added creaminess.
Irene Vaughan
First time for making this soup. There was what looked like another person called coagulated soy milk on the top. It didn't look pretty. Never the less I took my hand held blender and presto change-o a great creamy soup. It was delicious and shall become a regular instant pot soup.
ti
Mine is cooking right now. I never use oil w my plant based recipes and I am sure it will
turn out fine.
BTW the recipe never says when to add the beans! I am glad we figured it out. ; )
Thank you for presenting this.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks for letting me know! I hope the soup turns out well.
B
Just made this for dinner tonight - subbed coconut milk since it’s all I had, and also added some kale at the end of cooking. SO so yummy, the seasoning was perfect. Thank you for sharing!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks for the comment! Glad to hear you liked it.
Scott
A layer of gunk was on the top when done (must be coagulated soy milk). Had to remove a bunch of it because it clearly was not the sort of consistency that would have dissolved by stirring. Other than that not bad.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Sorry to hear it got that layer of gunk! I’ve had a small layer form before, but after stirring it goes away. If that doesn’t work you could use an immersion blender to blend ~1/3 of the soup to make that layer more cohesive.
Jen Friend
Enjoyed it! I left out the oil and it turned out great.
Cassidy
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Mandy
Hi there
Are these dried beans or cooked already in a can?
Thanks!
Cassidy Reeser
Hi Mandy, this recipe uses dry beans.