5-Bean Soup Recipe

There's just something about soup that is so comforting whenever you eat it, but the winter months always prove to be the best time to enjoy a big bowl of warm, soupy goodness. When it comes to great soup recipes, there are tons of them out there, and chicken noodle is, of course, one of the most popular in the U.S. But there's only one problem: Vegetarians can't enjoy it. If you're looking for something super filling but still vegetarian-friendly, then this five-bean soup is right up your alley. It's filled with five different types of beans, other veggies, and the perfect melody of spices.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn came up with the perfect soup, and there's so much to love about it. "I love this recipe because it is a hearty one-pot meal that can be made ahead on a Sunday and served for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week," Hahn raves. "Beans provide tons of fiber and minerals that keep us healthy and full!" 

Keep scrolling for more deets on how to make this wonderful meal. 

The first thing you need to do is take a trip to the grocery store and load up on all of the ingredients you will need to make it. First, pop by the produce section and grab an onion, a few cloves of garlic, and a bell pepper. Your next stop should be in the canned goods aisle, where you can load up on black beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. You will also need a can of fire-roasted tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce.

The next item on the list should be vegetable broth. You can usually find this in the same aisle as the soup and canned goods. Go to the spice aisle for your last stop and get garlic granules, onion granules, smoked paprika, and salt. The recipe also includes one optional ingredient: cilantro. Take it or leave it!

This soup is filled with chopped red bell peppers and onions. Remember to cut them ahead of time in preparation. "I think having a good chef's knife or a food chopper is very important for chopping the onion and red pepper. The great thing about soups is nothing needs to be too precise. It will soften when it cooks, and no need to fret over getting everything the perfect size," Hahn suggests.

"I usually just peel the onion, split it in half, place it flat-side down, slice that and then turn and cross-cut. Easy," Hahn shares. "For the pepper, I usually cut the top and bottom off, pull out the core, then slice into strips and chop from there." Easy peasy!

Now that you have all of your ingredients ready to go, we can start this simple yet delicious recipe. Take out a large soup pot and place it over the burner on your stove. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and add half a cup of broth.

Next, toss in the onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook the mixture for five minutes, and remember to stir occasionally.

As your broth and veggies are cooking, you can make use of your time and prep another part of the recipe that you will need: the beans. Open the cans of black beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Throw them in a colander and rinse them well. "I always rinse and drain my beans to get rid of the extra salt. Canned beans often have lots of salt added," Hahn notes. "I prefer using broth and other liquids instead of what the beans are sitting in." Sounds like a great idea to us!

Now, add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, the rest of the broth, cumin, garlic granules, onion granules, smoked paprika, and salt to the pot. Stir to combine. Then, it's time to dump the beans in.

After you've done that, bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer once you see bubbles reach the surface, and cook for 20 minutes. You can simply set your timer on your phone or watch or look at the time on the clock.

Once the 20 minutes are up, remove the pot from the stove and let it cool for a moment before serving. Don't worry — it's almost time to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

You can serve the soup however you would wish. We prefer individual bowls to make things easy. Alternatively, you could also use a cup or mug to serve. If you'd like, add the optional ingredient of cilantro to the top of the soup. "I love serving with a green salad or steamed broccoli. I always need something bright green with every meal!" Hahn shares.

Have any leftovers? "This soup stores great in the fridge all week in a sealed container, or you can freeze for up to a month," Hahn recommends.