This vegetarian 15-bean soup is a classic recipe made from Hurst’s brand dried beans mix but adapted to be made meat-free.  This smokey protein-packed soup is easy to make with shelf-stable ingredients and is a healthy, affordable way to satisfy your whole family.  It’s easy to make on the stovetop, or in the crockpot or instant pot too.

A white bowl filled with vegan bean soup and topped with green onions.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free so nearly anyone can enjoy it.
  • This is made with shelf-stable ingredients that you can have on hand anytime you want it.
  • It’s packed with an addictive smokey flavor.
  • This soup is loaded with healthy plant-based protein.
  • It’s great for meal prep and it freezes well too.
A bag of 15 bean soup dried beans.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Dried Beans – Use Hurt’s HamBeens brand blend or 20 oz of any other dried mixed beans. You just need the beans, not the seasoning packet. This bean soup mix has 15 different kinds of beans including white kidney beans, black beans, small red beans, yellow split peas, navy beans, and more.
  • Onion –  to give the soup base more flavor. (optional)
  • Olive Oil – to saute the onion.  You can swap this out with any oil you like or omit it for oil-free.
  • Salt – for flavor
  • Canned Crushed Tomatoes – for flavor.
  • Vegetable Broth – for liquid and flavor.  (You can use water if you don’t have broth or even 1/2 broth and 1/2 water). I use vegan Not Beef Broth cubes, but any broth will work.
  • Smoked Paprika – this is what gives the soup the smokey ham flavor.  Don’t omit this unless you really don’t like a smokey flavor.  If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use 1 tbsp of liquid smoke instead.
  • Cumin – for flavor.
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor.
  • Balsamic Vinegar – for acidity.  This helps to balance the flavors in the broth.  You can also use apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice.

How to make vegan 15-bean soup

Step 1 – Soak beans overnight or for at least a few hours if you have time.  This is not totally necessary, but it will reduce the cooking time later.  You can skip and go to step 2 if you like. (Throw away that flavor packet that comes with the beans.  You won’t need it.)

A bow of 15 beans pre-soaking before cooking.

Step 2 – Drain the soaked beans and put them in a pot with enough water to cover them with about 3 inches of water and boil for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the beans sit for 1/2 hour before draining off the muddy-looking water and rinsing the partially cooked beans.

A bowl of 15 beans that have been soaked overnight.
Beans that have been soaked overnight with the water drained off of them.

Step 3 – Peel and dice a medium-sized onion in 2 tbsp of olive oil over low heat for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.

Step 4 – Turn up the stove to medium heat and add the drained and rinsed beans, canned tomato, broth, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a bay leaf if desired, and stir well.

Step 5 – Simmer the soup at a slow boil stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes if you presoaked the beans or 90 minutes if you didn’t presoak the beans.

Step 6 – Add 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar to the pot of soup about 10 minutes before serving.

How to make 15 bean soup in a crockpot

  1. Complete steps 1 and 2 above – soak the beans then precook them for 20 minutes draining off the water.
  2. Add the partially cooked beans, broth, tomatoes, oil, diced onion, salt, and spices to a crockpot.
  3. Cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 5 hours.
  4. Add balsamic vinegar about 5 minutes before serving.
A white bowl filled with vegan 15 bean soup with a spoon in it.

15 bean soup in an Instant Pot

  1. Complete steps 1 and 2 above – soak the beans then precook them for 20 minutes draining off the water.
  2. Set your Instant Pot to saute and cook the diced onion in the oil with a sprinkle of salt for about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add the partially cooked beans, broth, tomatoes, diced, salt, and spices to the instant pot.
  4. Snap on the lid and set to pressure for 25 minutes.
  5. Allow the pressure to come down naturally after cooking.
  6. Add balsamic vinegar about 5 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips

  • Cover your beans with about 4-5 inches of water.  They will absorb a lot of water!
  • You can swap out the crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes or even spaghetti or pizza sauce if you would like.  Fire-roasted tomatoes have a great smokey flavor in this soup too.
  • If you don’t have balsamic vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar instead.  It may seem a little weird, but the vinegar gives the broth a delicious well-rounded flavor.

Add-ins to flavor the soup

  • Add more healthy veggies to the soup like carrots, bell peppers, and celery. Chop these veggies small and add them just after sauteing the onion.
  • A can of green chiles is also a delicious addition to this soup.
  • Sprinkle it with some vegan bacon bits for that meaty ham taste without adding meat.
  • Add in some delicious homemade vegan sour cream for a creamier soup!
  • Dice up some homemade vegan ham and add it to your soup!
A white bowl filled with vegan 15 bean soup with a spoon in it.

Soaking beans overnight

Soaking the beans will reduce the cooking time needed.  It will clean the dust, dirt, and possibly mold off the beans more thoroughly than just rinsing them. It also helps the beans absorb the liquid slower to help them stay whole and not break apart during the cooking process.

Reducing bitterness

After you boil dried beans for about 20 minutes, you will notice that the cooking water turns thick and muddy looking.  This water has a strong bean flavor.  Throwing this water out, will take the bitterness out of the beans and give the soup broth a lighter taste.  You don’t have to do this step, but I highly recommend it.

Cooking beans to reduce gas

Many people avoid eating beans due to their harsh effects on their digestive system.  However, a few simple tricks make the beans much more digestible.  First, pre-soaking the beans helps to break down sugars in the beans. 

Precooking the beans a little and discarding the cooking water also helps discard some of those starches that give you gas.  Finally, the addition of vinegar to the soup also makes the beans more digestible.  So eat this soup without fear.

A bowl of 15 bean soup with a spoonful of it being held above the bowl.

My Vegan Cheddar Bay Biscuits, vegan drop biscuits, or vegan focaccia bread is delicious with the soup and makes it a complete meal!

More healthy vegan soups

Vegetarian 15-bean soup recipe

A white bowl filled with vegetarian 15 bean soup in a tomato based broth.
Diet
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5 from 9 rating

Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup

Yield: 14 cups
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A hearty vegan soup made from a dried bean mix.
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Ingredients

  • 20 oz dried beans
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt, (or more if not using broth)
  • 15.5 oz canned crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Soak beans overnight or for at least a few hours if you have time.  This is not totally necessary, but it will reduce the cooking time later.  You can skip and go to step 2 if you like. (Throw away that flavor packet that comes with the beans.  You won’t need it.)
  • Drain the soaked beans and put them in a pot with enough water to cover them with about 3 inches of water and boil for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the beans sit for 1/2 hour before draining off the muddy-looking water and rinsing the partially cooked beans.
  • Peel and dice a medium-sized onion in 2 tbsp of olive oil over low heat for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
  • Turn up the stove to medium heat and add the drained and rinsed beans, canned tomato, broth, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a bay leaf if desired, and stir well.
  • Simmer the soup at a slow boil stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes if you presoaked the beans or 90 minutes if you didn’t presoak the beans.
  • Add 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar to the pot of soup about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

How to make vegetarian 15-bean soup in the crockpot
  1. Complete steps 1 and 2 above – soak the beans then precook them for 20 minutes draining off the water.
  2. Add the partially cooked beans, broth, tomatoes, oil, diced onion, salt, and spices to a crockpot.
  3. Cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 5 hours.
  4. Add balsamic vinegar about 5 minutes before serving.
How to this vegan bean soup in the Instant Pot
  1. Complete steps 1 and 2 above – soak the beans then precook them for 20 minutes draining off the water.
  2. Set your Instant Pot to saute and cook the diced onion in the oil with a sprinkle of salt for about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add the partially cooked beans, broth, tomatoes, diced, salt, and spices to the instant pot.
  4. Snap-on the lid and set to pressure for 25 minutes.
  5. Allow the pressure to come down naturally after cooking.
  6. Add balsamic vinegar about 5 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for a great soup
  • Cover your beans with about 4-5 inches of water.  They will absorb a lot of water!
  • You can swap out the crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes or even spaghetti or pizza sauce if you would like.  Fire-roasted tomatoes have a great smokey flavor in this soup too.
  • If you don’t have balsamic vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar instead.  It may seem a little weird, but the vinegar gives the broth a delicious well-rounded flavor.
Add-ins
  • A can of green chiles is also a delicious addition to this soup.
  • Sprinkle it with some vegan bacon bits for that meaty ham taste without adding meat.
  • Add in some delicious homemade vegan sour cream for a creamier soup!
  • Dice up some homemade vegan ham and add it to your soup!
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 178kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 675mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 534IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 4mg
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