Bean soup is really my favorite, and I’m not alone. And, as everyone knows, beans are high in both protein and fiber, which makes them an important component of a plant-based diet.
As an ingredient in vegetable soups, legumes serve many functions. They work as a thickener; they add a wide range of distinct textures and tastes; they can enhance all sorts of soups in often surprising ways. And they’re almost universally interchangeable.
Some of these soups call for cooking dried beans in the soup pot so their broth is integral to the soup; others offer the convenience of already-cooked or canned beans. Most recipes and variations explain how to adjust the soup for either method.
I prefer bean soups a tad on the thin side but the consistency is easy enough to adjust if you prefer thicker soup: Either decrease the amount of stock or water in these recipes by a half-cup or so, or add another third-cup of uncooked beans (or a half-cup of cooked) as directed. Or, purée some of the beans with a bit of liquid and stir them back into the soup — or simply mash some of the beans right in the soup.