Creamy 10 vegetable bean soup (without tomatoes or cream)

Brace yourselves for a winter warmer that defies logic – a creamy 10 vegetable and bean soup without tomatoes or cream! That’s right – not even a hint of cream! But how do you attain creamy texture without using cream?  Read on to find out.

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Who needs a thin, brothy veggie concoction when winter's gloom calls for a soup that's a cozy hug in a bowl, especially when you're cooking for two? Picture this: a triumphant Hearty Vegetable Soup, where winter veggies are like culinary superheroes – lightly browned, softened, and bursting with maximum flavor.

We took a detour from the ordinary by sneaking in a pureeing session to thicken things up.  And forget heavy cream.  My secret weapon is lightly toasted sandwich bread, giving you a creamy texture without the extra fluff.

As if that isn’t enough, a splash of balsamic vinegar swoops in for a flavor burst that'll make your taste buds do a happy dance. Winter, meet your soul-satisfying soup companion, perfectly portioned for two!

For more winter warmers try this curry butternut squash soup or this tomato and fennel soup – both are hearty vegetable soups that leave the cream in the refrigerator. 

What you'll need

One of the things I love about this vegetable soup is it’s versatility. Here’s a list of ingredients you can use as a jumping off point to make a hearty 10 vegetable bean soup with whatever vegetables you have on hand.

• Fresh Vegetables:  carrots, parsnips, onions, russet potatoes, baby spinach, mushrooms.  Want more vegetable options to consider?  Add one or more of the following:   kale, swiss chard,  or sweet potatoes.
• Frozen vegetable:  Peas or broccoli
• Protein:  canned cannellini or white northern beans 
• Fats:  Vegetable oil:
• Fresh Herbs and Spices:  Thyme, rosemary and garlic
• Dried Spices:  Bay leaf, salt and pepper
• Liquids:  Low-sodium chicken broth or to keep it vegetarian use a no chicken broth. Do not substitute vegetable broth as this will not give you the same creamy mouthfeel as chicken broth.
• Acids:  Balsamic vinegar
• Hearty sandwich bread – Pureeing a portion of the soup helps thicken the soup, and lightly toasted sandwich bread gives it a bit more structure without the heaviness of cream.  Want to keep the soup gluten free?  Skip the bread when pureeing the vegetable base. 
• Garnishes:  Grated Parmesan cheese and croutons are a nice touch.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Creamy 10 vegetable bean soup (without tomatoes or cream)

Now that we’ve covered the ingredients you need to make this hearty vegetable soup, let’s start cooking.

Brown Vegetables:  Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Did you know that heating oil before adding your vegetables means they will sizzle instead of soaking in the oil and creates a non stick surface in your pan?  So please, heat your oil first!

Add carrots, parsnips, and onions, cooking until lightly browned and softened.  Now, reduce the heat and let them simmer until they are soft.

Add Spices and Liquids:  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf and bring to boil.  

Puree Soup base:  Remove and discard rosemary and bay leaf.  Transfer 3 cups solids, 1 cup broth, and bread to blender and puree until smooth.   My shortcut is to use a hand immersion blender and beaker to puree the soup base and bread.

Stir the puree back into pot, add spinach, cannellini beans, frozen peas and mushrooms. Cooking over medium heat until spinach is tender and the mushrooms and beans are heated through.

Season the soup:  Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and top with some croutons. Serve, passing extra vinegar at table.

Variations

Need to keep it gluten free? Use gluten free bread or omit the bread when pureeing the soup base to thicken the soup.

Want this to be vegetarian?  Use a no chicken broth. Do not be tempted to use vegetable broth, as you will not achieve the same creamy mouthfeel.

Need this Keto Friendly?  Add parmesan and avocado slices as garnishes to increase the fat.

Storage

This soup won’t freeze very well, as the spinach and mushrooms become too limp and soggy when thawed.  But, leftovers can be refrigerated for two or three days.

Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! And don't forget to subscribe to Our Table 4 2 for even more cooking for two recipes and tips.

Related

Looking for other soup recipes for two like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Creamy 10 vegetable bean soup (without tomatoes or cream):